title: Making decisions for incapable adults. 3: Protection, guardians and advocates.
abstract: District nurse Jane Simmons has concerns about a patient in her care who she suspects of being abused by her son. The patient has been left paralysed and unable to communicate by a stroke and cannot confirm the district nurse's suspicions. Both the nurse and the GP feel that the patient would be better managed in a care home, but her son refuses to consider the possibility. A vulnerable adult case conference concludes that this is probably because of the patient's considerable personal wealth and property. When the police confirm that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute the son, the care team wonder if the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 can be used to protect the patient.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Science, Swansea University. richard.griffith@swan.ac.uk
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Griffith
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control; D004739:England; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D007872:Legal Guardians / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D014852:Wales