Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

The Mental Capacity Act Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (MCA DOLS) provide protection for vulnerable people who are accommodated in hospitals or care homes in circumstances that amount to a deprivation of their liberty and who lack the capacity to consent to the care or treatment they need.

The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Code of Practice supplements the main Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice which can be found within the Mental Capacity Act pages.

The MCA DOLS provide that deprivation of liberty:

• should be avoided wherever possible
• should only be authorised in cases where it is in the relevant person's best interests and the only way to keep them safe
• should be for as short a time as possible, and
• should be only for a particular treatment plan or course of action

Manchester City Council has the role of hosting the Supervisory Bodies on behalf of Manchester Local Authority and Manchester NHS, by authority of a Collaborative Agreement.

Care Homes, Care Homes with Nursing, Independent Hospitals and Acute Hospitals are Managing Authorities. Managing Authorities must make a referral to the Supervisory Body in order to lawfully deprive someone of their liberty.

• Pathway to determine if an authorisation may be needed
• Letter to Managing Authorities outlining responsibilities
• Capacity and Best Interests Tool
• Individual Scale Tool
• DOLS Code of Practice

To find out more about DOLS, contact the DOLS Team.

To make an Application for a Deprivation Liberty or to request a Review, send the relevant completed form to the Contact Service for Social Care either by email or fax:

email: mcsreply@manchester.gov.uk
fax: 0161 255 8266

Forms and Letters

• Forms and Letters required to request or review a DOL
• Forms for use by DOLS Assessors

Guidance relating to DOLS

• Find documentation relating to DOLS here

Links to other resources

• Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) 
• Communities of Practice - Website for MCA and DOLS current practice
• BAILII - England and Wales High Court of Protection judgments
• Department of Health - MCA and DOLS