A perfect union of mind and body?

Mark Roberts is vice chair of the BGS Northern Ireland Council, and a Consultant in Acute and Geriatric Medicine. In this blog, he looks at the recent joint meeting hosted by the BGS and the Royal College of Psychiatrists

The annual joint meeting between the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the BGS in Northern Ireland passed again with plenty of food for thought, the amiable atmosphere between two closely linked specialties proving once more a useful foundation stone for a good meeting.  The dignified Edwardian surroundings of Clifton House in Belfast provided the backdrop for a joint sandwich lunch followed by our respective business meetings.  Thereafter an energetic programme was presented by both Geriatricians and Psychiatrists of Old Age to the mixed audience.  Those engaged in the mysterious art of Psychiatry showed their class and hospitality by giving us Geriatricians the boardroom whilst shoe-ing themselves into the ‘attic space’ for their business meeting.

Deprivation of liberty safeguards

In March this year, the Supreme Court handed down its judgement on two cases which will have significant impact in determining whether arrangements made for the care and/or treatment of an individual lacking capacity to consent to those arrangements amount to a deprivation of liberty.

Key points of the Supreme Court Judgement: The Court ruled that there is a deprivation of liberty in terms of Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights if the person is under continuous supervision and control and is not free to leave, and the person lacks capacity to consent to these arrangements. Whether the person objects to the arrangement or not is irrelevant, as is the ‘relative normality of the placement in the context of the person’s needs.’