DoLS Relevant Person’s Representative Service

Sheffield Mental Health Advocacy Service provides a Relevant Persons Representative service for people subject to DoLS authorisations following the introduction of the new legislation in April 2009.

A paid representative is appointed in cases where no friend or family member is willing or eligible to act as a relevant person’s representative.

The role of the representative is to:

• Maintain contact with the relevant person.
• Represent and support the relevant person in all matters relating to the deprivation of liberty safeguards, including if appropriate, requesting a review, using an organisations complaints procedure on the person’s behalf or making an application to the Court of Protection.
• To provide support that is independent of the relevant person’s commissioners and service providers.

We do not accept direct referrals for this service.  We can however put you in touch with the relevant people and services to find out more about the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

To make applications for under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, contact the Sheffield Mental Capacity Act Support Team on 0114 205 3783 or visit their web pages here.

For more information on the Mental Capacity Act and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, see these documents:

Mental Capacity Act code of practice
DoLS code of practice