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Sophie Maloney
    • Sophie Maloney

    • Partner & Head of Court of Protection
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Specialist Court of Protection solicitors

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At Stephensons our specialist Court of Protection solicitors deal with all contentious health and welfare related cases including disputes surrounding mental capacity and best interests as well as disputed property and affairs matters. ...

An end-of-life decision in the Court of Protection

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Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust v KT & Ors [2023] EWCOP 46 (25 August 2023) “…there comes a point where the laudable aspiration to prolong life is overtaken by the equally strong moral imperative not to protract death. Where...

Challenging local authority decisions - what can I do if I disagree with my loved one's care home placement?

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When a local authority determines that a care home placement is necessary for a loved one, but you disagree with the decision, it can be an incredibly distressing and challenging situation. However, it is important to remember that you have rights and...

New guidance on the streamlined procedure for the deprivation of liberty of 16 and 17 year olds

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In the case of Bolton Council v KL [2022] EWCOP 24 Her Honour Judge Hilder provided guidance on when the streamlined procedure to authorise a deprivation of liberty may not be appropriate. The streamlined procedure enables the ...

CQC fines NHS Trust for failures around consent

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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has recently issued two fixed penalty notices to University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust totalling £8,000. Their investigation relates to the failure to seek consent to care for and treat a patient in...

Contact with relatives in care homes - new guidance from May 2021

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Throughout the pandemic, concerns about the inability to visit and speak with family members in care homes have been widely reported, with different care providers taking different approaches. As we are navigating the government’s...

Contact with relatives in care homes during third national lockdown

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Throughout the pandemic, concerns about the inability to visit and speak with their family members in care homes have been widely reported, with different care providers taking different approaches to facilitating contact. Now that we are in what is...

Visiting relatives at care homes during coronavirus pandemic - November update

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The Court of Protection is a specialist court that safeguards the rights of the most vulnerable people in society. With the coronavirus pandemic leading to increased restrictions on vulnerable adults in care settings, including some care homes stopping...

Court of Protection decides that man with irreversible stoma has the right to choose to die

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On the 29 May 2020, Mr Justice Hayden received an urgent application (made out of business hours) by Barnsley NHS Foundation Trust. The application related to a 34 year old man with a history of complicated and painful abdominal problems dating back 10...

Contact with relatives in care homes during coronavirus pandemic

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The Court of Protection is a specialist court that safeguards the rights of the most vulnerable people in society. With the coronavirus pandemic leading to increased restrictions on vulnerable adults in care settings, including stopping all visits from...

The impact of the Coronavirus Act 2020 on social care assessment and support

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The Coronavirus Act 2020 came into force on 25 March 2020. This is temporary legislation which has a huge impact on vulnerable adults in need of, and currently receiving, social care support. Key duties imposed under the Care Act 2014 are now suspended,...

Court of Protection case highlights the need for mental capacity assessments on an issue specific basis

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In a recent case, the Vice President of the Court of Protection, Hayden J, reminded us of the importance of the presumption of capacity and the requirement for proper assessment of mental capacity on an issue-specific basis. Everyone is assumed to have...

Applications made under the Mental Capacity Act increased in 2019

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The third quarter of 2019 (July-September) saw a record number of applications made under the Mental Capacity Act according to a recent update on family court statistics. A total of 9,407 applications were made under the act during this period which...

Woman forcibly checked for possible cancer

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The Court of Protection has last week heard a case in which an NHS Trust applied for a declaration that it would be in a woman’s best interests for her to undergo a formal diagnostic examination for cancer, ‘despite her long-standing fear of...