DoLS/LPS Conference 25 March 2022 (Online)

PROGRAMME

DoLS and LPS News and Developments?

Steven Richards, Director, Edge Training. Co-author of The DoLS Handbook

RPR Selection- Getting it Right

Varsha Jagadesham, Barrister (No 5 Chambers) and Edge Trainer

DoLS Assessments During a Pandemic- tips from a Mental Health Assessor

Dr Sergi Costafreda Gonzalez, MH Assessor Associate Professor at the Division of Psychiatry at UCL and Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist

DoLS Case Law Update

Ian Brownhill, Barrister (39 Essex Chambers) and Edge Trainer

SPEAKERS 

Steven Richards

Steven Richards is a Director of Edge training and consultancy and has worked in the mental health field for over 20 years. He was a Mental Health Act administrator for many years at the Maudsley Hospital advising clinical staff on their use of the legislation in practice. During this time, he was involved in the publication of the hospital’s guide to the Act, called the Maze. Following this, Steven was an in-patient advocate for Mind working across adult acute and dementia assessment wards. As an advocate he successfully challenged the assessment of mental capacity of a client directly before the Court of Protection.

Steven was a Mental Health Act Reviewer with the Care Quality Commission for over 10 years visiting and reviewing the care and treatment of patients detained under the Act. He also worked with the CQC as a specialist advisor on the Mental Capacity Act and DoLS.

Steven delivers training on both the Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act across

England and Wales to health and social care professionals. He has experience of training a wide variety of services including local authorities, CCGs, NHS Trusts, Welsh Health Boards, the police, hospices and prison health services. Steven delivers professional legal update courses for DoLS BIAs and Mental Health Assessors and AMHPs under the Mental Health Act. He has spoken at a series of Health Education England conferences on the use of the MCA at the end of life care. Steven was invited by members of the House of Lords to deliver training on the draft Liberty Protection Safeguards bill prior to detailed debate and amendments in the house. Steven is co-author of 3 books:

**NEW** Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Handbook- 2nd edition (ISBN: 978-0-9931324-2-1) 

Working with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 – 4th edition (ISBN: 978-0-9552349-5-8) 

Working with the Mental Health Act – 4th edition (ISBN: 978-0-9552349-4-1) 

He also co-authors several wall charts on the Acts and an App on the Mental Capacity Act

Varsha Jagadesham 

Former scientist Varsha is a new member of the Edge training team. Varsha worked for a number of years in bioethics research and policy at the Nuffield Council on Bioethics where she prepared major reports on the ethical issues regarding dementia and neurotechnologies that intervene in the brain. Varsha now has a busy Court of Protection practice and was one of the barristers involved in the case of The London Borough of Hillingdon v JV & Ors [2019] EWCOP 61  which looked at errors made by BIAs and signatories when selecting and appointing Relevant Person's Representatives (RPRs).

Dr Sergi Costafreda Gonzalez

Sergi is Associate Professor at the Division of Psychiatry at UCL and Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust. His research and clinical practice are focused on improving the diagnosis, management and prevention of cognitive impairment and dementia. He co-authored the Lancet Dementia Commission which found that up 40% of dementia cases are attributable to 12 potentially modifiable risk factors, and he is now investigating if treating hearing loss reduces the risk of developing dementia. He has developed and validated cognitive tests to assess people with hearing loss and cognitive impairment, and digital technology to support and increase resilience in older adults. Sergi has developed an independent medico-legal practice in the past 5 years and provided expert psychiatric opinion for cases in the Court of Protection.

Ian Brownhill 

Ian is a barrister at 39 Essex Chambers and he specialises in public law, human rights and regulatory law. In addition, Ian is a Trustee of the Sentencing Academy and HM Assistant Coroner for Kent.

Ian has a broad public law and human rights practice which focusses on mental capacity, education law, criminal justice, prison and police law and community care. Much of Ian’s regulatory practice complements his public law work and he is often instructed in cases which involve safeguarding, social care or healthcare. In recent times, Ian has increasingly advised on regulatory matters related to sport.

Ian is ranked as a “band 1” leading junior for Court of Protection (Health and Welfare) by The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. He is a member of the Equality and Human Rights Commission C Panel of Counsel. Ian acts pro bono for the families of missing people, he acts for the mother of Ben Needham and the mother of Damien Nettles.

Aasya Mughal (Chair)

Aasya is a barrister and director of Edge Training & Consultancy Ltd. She was called to the Bar in 2003 and 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 has been providing guidance to charities and members of the House of Lords on the Liberty Protection Safeguards including the drafting of amendments to the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill (now Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019). She is co-author of a smartphone App, three books and four wall charts on the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards used by local authorities, hospitals, advocacy groups, universities and lawyers. These books are highly reviewed on Amazon.

Aasya is co-author of 3 apps:

The Mental Capacity Act (App) Wall charts Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (co-author) Mental Health Act 1983 (co-author) Mental Capacity Act 2005 (co-author) Consent to treatment and care (co-author)

Aasya is co-author of 3 books:

**NEW** Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Handbook- 2nd edition (ISBN: 978-0-9931324-2-1) 

Working with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 – 2nd edition (ISBN: 978-0-9552349-3-4) 

Working with the Mental Health Act – 3rd edition (ISBN: 978-0-9552349-4-1).