About the editors:Dr Nick Brindle – Old Age Consultant Psychiatrist, The Mount (Mental Health Centre), Leeds.Dr Tim Branton - Old Age Consultant Psychiatrist, The Mount, Leeds and a former Associate Medical Director for Mental Health Legislation, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.Dr Alison Stansfield – Consultant Psychiatrist, Aire Court Community Unit, Leeds and Associate Medical Director for Learning Disabilities and Clinical Lead for Leeds Autism Diagnostic Service Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.Dr Tony Zigmond - Consultant Psychiatrist and retired Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Leeds.

• Preface to the first edition; Preface to the second edition; Common abbreviations and terms; 1. The legal framework: the Mental Capacity Act, the Human Rights Act and common law; 2. The Mental Capacity Act and the authority to treat; 3. Assessment of capacity; 4. Best interests; 5. Alternative authority - planning for the future; 6. Independent mental capacity advocates and regulation of research; 7. Deprivation of liberty safeguards; 8. The Court of Protection, clinically relevant judgments from the courts and writing reports; The Mental Health Act; References; Index.

"I would recommend all GPs to have access to this book for a quick personal update when questions involving capacity arise." GP Online (of first edition)