What does deprivation of liberty safeguards DoLS actually mean?

The deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS) are a set of measures introduced in 2009 to protect the rights of adults who lack the mental capacity to make decisions about their care and treatment. The safeguards provide a legal framework to ensure that any decisions made about an individual’s care and treatment are in their best interests, and that their human rights are respected.

The DoLS apply to adults who lack the mental capacity to make decisions about their care and treatment, and who are therefore at risk of being unlawfully deprived of their liberty. The safeguards do not apply to children.

The DoLS are designed to protect the rights of adults who lack the mental capacity to make decisions about their care and treatment, and who are therefore at risk of being unlawfully deprived of their liberty. The safeguards do not apply to children.

The key principles of the DoLS are that:

• any decision about an individual’s care and treatment must be made in their best interests

• an individual’s right to liberty is a fundamental human right which must be respected

• any interference with an individual’s right to liberty must be authorised by law

• any decision to deprive an individual of their liberty must be subject to regular review

The DoLS are governed by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), and the associated Code of Practice. The MCA sets out the general principles of the Act, and the Code of Practice provides detailed guidance on how the Act should be applied in practice.