APPENDIX 5: LETTER FROM NORMAN LAMB MP-28
NOVEMBER 2013
Thank you for your letter dated 12 November.
I am pleased that you view the establishment of the
Mental Capacity Act Steering Group is a welcome development. The
Group is very much concerned with trying to establish the evidence
of the implementation of the Mental Capacity Act to date and arriving
at a plan for improving the situation.
I absolutely agree with you that hearing from service
users, families and carers should be at the centre of our efforts
to understand the impact of the Act. I have asked officials to
set up one or more events to ensure that we talk to a range of
people who have direct experience of whether or not the Act is
being used successfully. That evidence will be used to influence
the work programme of the Steering Group and any subsequent action
plan. We will ensure that this is not a one-off exercise but that
we continue to consult and engage going forward.
The first meeting of the Steering Group was devoted
largely to agreeing the terms of reference and clarifying the
role of all the different organisations in implementation. The
Group began to identify the areas of concern and gaps in our knowledge.
Members were asked to identify what data we need for our analysis,
what is available and from what source and what gaps there are
and how we might remedy that. This topic will be the main focus
of the next meeting arranged for January.
I look forward to meeting the Committee on 3 December.
Norman Lamb MP
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