Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists on the training of approved mental capacity professionals; and what plans he has for further such discussions.

We are discussing with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists ahead of implementation to establish the detail of the role they will play in the new system and the suitability of speech and language therapists becoming approved mental capacity professionals (AMCPs). We will continue to engage with the College regarding the AMCP role as well as on the statutory Code of Practice.

Subject to further consultation and development of the Code of Practice the government envisages that the professionals which could take on the role of AMCPs would include social workers, learning disability nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists and other suitable health and social care professionals as appropriate.