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Mental capacity, good practice and the cyclical consent process in research involving vulnerable people

Norman, R.; Sellman, D.; Warner, Cathy

Authors

R. Norman

D. Sellman



Abstract

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 gives statutory force to the common law principle that all adults are assumed to have capacity to make decisions unless proven otherwise. In accord with best practice, this principle places the evidential burden on researchers rather than participants and requires researchers to take account of short-term and transient understandings common among some research populations. The aim of this paper is to explore some of the implications of the MCA 2005 for researchers working with ‘vulnerable’ populations in health and social care settings. The Cyclical Consent Model is described and offered as a process by which researchers might develop good practice when engaged in research involving vulnerable people. © 2006, Royal Society of Medicine Press. All rights reserved.

Citation

Sellman, D., Norman, R., & Warner, C. (2006). Mental capacity, good practice and the cyclical consent process in research involving vulnerable people. Clinical Ethics, 1(4), 228-233. https://doi.org/10.1258/147775006779151085

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Dec 1, 2006
Journal Clinical Ethics
Print ISSN 1477-7509
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Not Peer Reviewed
Volume 1
Issue 4
Pages 228-233
DOI https://doi.org/10.1258/147775006779151085
Keywords mental capacity, good practice, consent process, research, vulnerable people
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1035371
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1258/147775006779151085