The Department of Health has made a Statutory Rule entitled “The Mental Capacity (Deprivation of Liberty) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2020”, (S.R. 2020 No. 57), which comes into operation on 2 April 2020.

The purpose of the instrument is to provide temporary modifications to the Mental Capacity (Deprivation of Liberty) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 as a result of pressures because of the Coronavirus.

This statutory rule makes temporary modifications to the principal Regulations in the case of a widespread unavailability of the health and social care workforce due to a pandemic emergency. The Regulations will modify who can do certain duties, but impose a reporting requirement when the modifications are used. The Regulations relax some additional safeguards and procedures, allow a wider group of professionals to carry out functions and extend some timelines. The amendments in the Regulations are only in force as long as the modifications in section 10(4) of and Schedule 11 to the Coronavirus Act 2020 are in force.

This Rule may be purchased from the Stationery Office at www.tsoshop.co.uk or by contacting TSO Customer Services on 0333 202 5070, or viewed online at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr