Courses

Liberty protection safeguards

Course information

Date

Course start date is passed

Level

Intermediate

Locations

Course will be held online via Zoom

Length and time

9:00 - 17:00

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Course information

Date

Course start date is passed

Level

Intermediate

Locations

Course will be held online via Zoom

Length and time

9:00 - 17:00

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About the Liberty Protection Safeguards training course

The law on protecting patient liberties is due to change in April 2022*. This course covers the essentials of this new legal framework.

Run by leading legal and clinical experts in the field of mental health and mental capacity law, the course will outline the legal and procedural changes and provide practical advice and case examples to help general and psychiatric hospital staff navigate the new system.

The Liberty Protection Safeguards training course will include case studies and interactive sessions and provide you with a set of practical skills and a knowledge base which will have a direct and positive impact on your practice and the patients you care for.

The Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) system introduces new structures, roles, and responsibilities for NHS organisations - so it is essential that frontline staff and managers understand it fully before it comes into effect. The LPS will replace DoLS in April 2022 as the legal framework for deprivation of liberty. LPS are part of the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019, designed to simplify the process of authorising the care and treatment of a person who lacks capacity to consent to it, where it constitutes a deprivation of liberty.

*At the time of writing, the UK Department of Health and Social Care has committed to publishing the draft Code of Practice and Regulations to accompany the LPS in the spring of 2021. If the event that they are not available by the date of the course, the outlines of the new system are clear and the course content for the day will be adjusted accordingly.

Learning objectives

Describe the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) and how they will be implemented, focusing on hospital settings	Identify when a person in hospital is deprived of their liberty (including in emergency settings) and when a person can give advance consent to their confinement	Understand the differences between the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) and the Liberty Protection Safeguards
Understand the role of different professionals under the Liberty Protection Safeguards, including the Approved Mental Capacity Professionals (AMCPs)	Understand how the Liberty Protection Safeguards relate to care and treatment decisions under the Mental Capacity Act	Understand the interface between the Liberty Protection Safeguards and the Mental Health Act, and when to use which framework

Course Programme

The key issues covered include:

How to identify a deprivation of liberty in different clinical scenarios, including A&E/ICU, long-stay wards, and psychiatric settings
The core changes between DoLS and the LPS, including the responsibilities of NHS hospital Trusts (both acute and psychiatric) and new professional roles
The between the LPS and the Mental Health Act 1983 in both medical and psychiatric hospital settings.

Why study this course?

Learn from the experts

Maudsley Learning is part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) – the provider of the most extensive portfolio of mental health services in the UK. Our team of qualified professionals have extensive, up-to-date knowledge about the latest changes in mental health law. Learn from the experts and ensure your team are acquiring accurate, reliable information.

Upskill your team

It’s essential that frontline staff and managers have a good understanding of the Liberty Protection Safeguards before it comes into effect. At Maudsley Learning, you can book on to courses individually, or you can commission a bespoke course that meets the needs of your specific organisation. Get in touch today to upskill your entire team by emailing maudsleylearning@slam.nhs.uk or ringing 0330 808 9391.

Course presented by

Dr Penny Brown

Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Research Fellow

Expert in mental health law and forensic psychiatry, leading national training on Section 12 and Approved Clinician approval.

Alex Ruck Keene KC (Hon)

Barrister and Visiting Senior Lecturer

An experienced barrister, writer and educator. His practice (at 39 Essex Chambers) is focused on mental capacity law (broadly defined).  He has appeared in cases

Chris Danbury

Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine

Chris is a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at University Hospital. He was previously a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthetics at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. Between..

Course schedule

Target audience

Consultant – non-psychiatry any, Doctors, FY1, FY2, FY3, Medical student, Midwife, Nurses, Nursing student, RGN, RMN, Student

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Bespoke courses

We are able to offer custom-made programs, whether digital or face to face, to meet the education and training needs of your organisation in the UK or internationally. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss your requirements and develop a proposal.

Research

Let our team complete a full Training Needs Analysis for a department, directorate, or the whole hospital! We can work to complete this ourselves or work collaboratively with your own staff. Our standard outcome measures assess learner progress and produce a full report looking at wider impact of training using a range of tested assessment methodologies.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between LPS and DoLS?

The Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) has a less complex framework, which is more accessible to affected persons and their families, in comparison to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). It simplifies the authorisation process, too, removing some of the bureaucracy associated with the DoLS. The Mental Capacity Act will also now be compliant with articles 5 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Is LPS replacing DoLS?

Yes – the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) is replacing the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) in late 2023. However, the date needs to be confirmed nearer the time and may change.