Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)

Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)2024-02-22T09:17:16+00:00
The main role of an advocate under the Mental Capacity Act is to provide an independent safeguard for people assessed as not being able to make some important decisions.

An IMCA’s role is to ensure that people are as involved as possible in major decisions about their lives, and that any decisions made on a person’s behalf are made in that person’s best interests.

Useful Contacts

Office of the Public Guardian (OPG)
The Office of the Public Guardian supports and promotes decision-making for those who lack capacity or would like to plan for their future, within the framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Archway Tower
2 Junction Road
London
N19 5SZ
Tel: 0845 330 2900
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.publicguardian.gov.uk

Department of Health (DH)
Responsibilities include setting health and social care policy in England. The Department’s work sets standards and drives modernisation across all areas of the NHS, social care and public health.

Wellington House
133-155 Waterloo Road
London
SE1 3UG
Tel: 020 7210 4850
Web: www.dh.gov.uk

Contact

Unit A3, Unity Business Centre,

26 Roundhay Road, Leeds, LS7 1AB

Key Contact

Eloise Sutcliffe, Universal Advocacy Lead – Care Act Advocacy and Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)
[email protected]

Christine Henney, Universal Advocacy Lead – Relevant Person’s Representative
[email protected]

Watch our videos!

We have produced three short videos about our IMCA service. The first explains what Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy can do. The second video is about when an IMCA is needed and the third talks about Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). To watch them, please click on the play buttons on the videos below.

Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) Explained

When is an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate Needed?

What is a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)?

Latest IMCA News

What Does the Service Do

IMCA support for:

  • Change of accommodation
  • Serious medical treatment
    • Safeguarding
    • Care reviews

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards:

  • Paid relevant person’s representative
  • 39A IMCA
  • 39C IMCA
  • 39D IMCA
  • 1.2 representative

Who is the Service For?

The IMCA project supports people who:

  • Are over the age of 16
  • have been assessed as lacking capacity
  • Has no appropriate friends or family to consult
  • Need support to make a decision relating to
    • Serious medical treatment
    • Change of accommodation

Or

Those who are subject to a deprivation of liberty safeguard (DoLS) authorisation

Or support someone as an unpaid relevant person’s representative (RPR)

How to Access the Service

Make an Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) Referral

If you would like to make a referral to this service, please click on the button below to access our online referral form.

Accessibility Assistant

Visibility Options

Text Controls

Text to Speech

  • Enabling this option allows for automatic Text to Speech on highlighted text. Simply select any text on the page to have your computer read it to you.

  • Choose the preferred Text to Speech accent from your available system voices.