Capacity assessments on medical in-patients referred to social workers for care home placement

Aims and Methods To investigate the feasibility of a clinical algorithm to assess capacity and examine the relationship between its results and the assessments of capacity by others involved in the decision of a patient to permanently enter a care home from a medical ward. Results A total of 23 patients out of 38 (60.5%, 95% CI 44–77) had some mention of capacity in any type of record (medical, social work or nursing). At formal assessment 47% of older patients lacked capacity. Clinical Implications The absence of any recorded assessment in at least a third of patients is worrying, given the importance of the decision to the patients' lives and their financial status. It is to be hoped that the implementation of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) will rectify this situation.