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Review
. 2017 Jan;58(1):18-23.
doi: 10.11622/smedj.2016171. Epub 2016 Oct 18.

Legal medicine: assessing mental capacity and writing medical reports for deputy applications

Hui Min Lim  1 , Lee Gan Goh  2 , T Thirumoorthy  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Legal medicine: assessing mental capacity and writing medical reports for deputy applications

Hui Min Lim et al. Singapore Med J. 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Medical reports are required to support court applications to appoint a deputy to make decisions on behalf of a person who has lost mental capacity. The doctor writing such a medical report needs to be able to systematically assess the mental capacity of the person in question, in order to gather the necessary evidence for the court to make a decision. If the medical report is not adequate, the application will be rejected and the appointment of the deputy delayed. This article sets out best practices for performing the assessment and writing the medical report, common errors, and issues of concern.

Keywords: Mental Capacity Act; appointment of deputy; medical report; mental capacity; mental state assessment.

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Figures

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Assessment for the presence of cognitive abnormalities:
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Interpretation of Mini-Mental State Examination scores:
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References

    1. Singapore. Mental Capacity Act. 2008;c 177A(11)
    1. MCA Online Training Module: Assessment of Mental Capacity under the Mental Capacity Act [online] [Accessed December 13 2016]. Available at: https://smacme.talentlms.com/catalog/info/id:115 .
    1. Singapore. Mental Capacity Act. 2008;c 177A(20)
    1. Thirumoorthy T. Written Medical Communication – Skills in Writing Medical Reports. [Accessed December 13 2016];SMA News [online] 2016 46:16–8. Available at: https://www.sma.org.sg/UploadedImg/files/Publications%20-%20SMA%20News/4... .
    1. Singapore. Family Justice Courts Practice Directions, para. 54(9(e))

RECOMMENDED READING

    1. Singapore. Code of Practice: Mental Capacity Act (Chapter 177A) [online] [Accessed December 13, 2016]. Available at: https://www.publicguardian.gov.sg/opg/Documents/CSC.MSF.OPGWebsite/Docum... .
    1. Singapore. Mental Capacity Regulations 2010, c 177A, s 105/2010. In: Singapore Statues Online. [Accessed December 13, 2016]. Available at: http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/view.w3p;page=0;query=Comp... .

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