Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA)

Established by the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005, IMCAs provide an Advocacy service to people who lack capacity to make a specific decision.

The Mental Capacity Act states that a person must have suitable representation in the following situations, and that this must be an IMCA where a family member or other appropriate representative is not identified:

• Change of Accommodation;
• Serious Medical Treatment; and
• Applications under Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

The Mental Capacity Act states that a person must have suitable representation in the following situations, and that an IMCA should be considered where a family member or other appropriate representative is not identified:

• Safeguarding decisions; and
• Care review.