DoLS face to face Conference London - 19 June 2023

Our June conference in Central London will feature a variety of topics and guest speakers carefully selected to be of maximum use to Best Interests Assessors (BIAs), DoLS Mental Health Assessors and other DoLS professionals. The conference will also include an update on the Liberty Protection Safeguards.  Attendance at the conference will serve as an annual update to continue in the role of a Best Interests Assessor or Mental Health Assessor under DoLS.

Venue: Central London WC2A (exact address confirmed with ticket purchase)

Start: 10:00 (Registration from 09:15)

End: 16:15

Price: £165 plus VAT per ticket 

 

Speakers

Mike O'Brien KC- Covert Medication and the Mental Capacity Act 2005

We are delighted to announce that barrister, Mike O'Brien KC will be returning to address our conference on 19th June. Mike was hugely popular last year and this time will discuss new case law on covert medication. Mike was recently involved in a significant case about Covert Medication in the Court of Protection (A (Covert Medication: Closed Proceedings) [2022] EWCOP 44). Mike will explain what happened, the key issues highlighted by the Court of Protection judgment and good practice guidance.

Mike is a Court of Protection barrister and former MP serving in numerous ministerial posts including the Solicitor General and Minister of State for Health in 2009. Mike O’Brien appears regularly in the Court of Protection instructed by local authorities, the Official Solicitor and family members in cases involving health, welfare, finance and deprivation of liberty. He became a QC in 2005 (now a KC).  He was Solicitor General at the time the Mental Capacity Act became law. Elected as an MP, he was a Minister in the Home Office where he helped take through the Human Rights Acts and FOI legislation and then the Foreign Office and was Minister of State for Health. He is a member of HM Privy Council. He was a Law Officer advising the government on legal issues, having served as Solicitor General For England and Wales for two years. He was involved in decisions leading to the creation of the Mental Capacity Act.

Richard Charlton, Solicitor-  s21A, objections, gatekeeping and legal aid

We are delighted to announce that Richard Charlton will be speaking at our Conference. Richard is a solicitor and Director of Richard Charlton Solicitors (and former social worker) specialising in Section 21A applications (appeals against DoLS authorisations).

Last year, Richard gave evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights about his work on Section 21A applications and will join us to discuss the issue of 'gatekeeping' and how DoLS professionals and others can properly act on objections by people subject to DoLS.   Richard will also provide a practical step by step guide to the the legal process for s21A including an explanation of the entitlement to non means tested legal aid.  A transcript of his evidence to the committee is available here

Steven Richards, Author & Director, Edge Training-  DoLS News Update and What next for LPS?

Our next speaker will be Edge director, author and former CQC MCA specialist advisor, Steven Richards. With the news that LPS has been delayed further, Steven will discuss the practical impact of this announcement and next steps for DoLS and Community DoL. Steven will also discuss a variety of the latest DoLS news and developments including the risks to local authorities of unlawful deprivations of liberty.

Paul Sinha (The Chase)

Paul Sinha, quizzer, stand up comedian and former GP will be speaking and providing some light entertainment in between our range of legal talks.    Paul is perhaps best known as the Sinnerman on the hugely popular ITV quiz shows 'The Chase' and 'Beat the Chasers'.    Paul has been a successful comedian for a number of years. As a club comedian, he has played every major comedy club in the UK, performed in eighteen other countries across the globe, and been three times nominated for Best Club Comedian at the Chortle Awards, winning in 2014.  Paul was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2019 and will also speak about how he has approached life after his diagnosis. He featured on the ITV Jeremy Paxman programme called 'Putting Up with Parkinson's'. This can be viewed here. Paul's section appears from 09.58 onwards.

Chair: Aasya F Mughal: Author & Director, Edge Training- Relevant Person's Representatives (RPR)

Aasya Mughal, Edge director, author and barrister will be covering the important topic of Relevant Person's Representatives (RPR). Aasya will talk through the relevant statutory rules, case law and guidance including Form 3 record keeping tips.  For those of you unable to attend the conference, there is also a detailed step by step guide in The DoLS Handbook written by Aasya and fellow Edge director, Steven Richards.

Aasya is a barrister and director of Edge Training & Consultancy Ltd. She has provided legal representation for individuals and businesses in civil litigation cases and for patients in appeals against their detention under the Mental Health Act. Aasya also gained considerable experience as an in-patient advocate working with detained patients on a number of mental health wards and also appeared before the Court of Protection in this role.   

Aasya has volunteered for the human rights organisation Liberty providing legal information and advice to the public on human rights law and also volunteers her time to deliver training to families on the Mental Capacity Act through Edge.  Most recently, she provided guidance to charities and members of the House of Lords on Schedule 8 to the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Mental Health Act amendments) and previously, on the Liberty Protection Safeguards including the drafting of amendments to the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019.