Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)
What is an IMCA?
An IMCA is an independent person who supports people who are not able to make certain decisions for themselves and do not have any family or friends who are able to speak for them.
The role of the IMCA is to find out as much as they can about the person; their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs and to represent those to the people who are making decisions about the person’s life. The IMCA has a right to meet with and talk to the person privately and to access their health and care records. They will consider all the relevant information that they can find and will write a report to help the decision-maker to act in the best interests of the person. An IMCA can also challenge a decision that has been made.
An IMCA will NOT:
Carry out capacity assessments
Decide who is / is not appropriate to consult
Make the best interest decision
Who can have an IMCA?
An IMCA can be instructed for anyone who is 16 or over who has been assessed as “lacking capacity”. A decision-maker MUST instruct an IMCA if a decision needs to be made about:
A Serious Medical Treatment
A change in accommodation (stays of more than 28 days in hospital or more than 8 weeks in a care home)
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
Also, a decision maker can also instruct an IMCA for a person if a decision needs to be made about:
A care review
A safeguarding concern where the person is either the reported abuser or the person who is reported to have been abused
Who can refer?
Referrals for the IMCA service must be made by the decision-maker (Local Council or NHS). Referrals directly from the person, their relatives or another third party agency cannot be accepted.
More information for professionals can be found here:
