What now for deprivations of liberty?
What will the effect of the postponement of the Liberty Protections Safeguards be on local authorities? Local Government Lawyer asked 50 adult social care lawyers for their views on the potential consequences.
SPOTLIGHT |
The legal and reputational risks to councils in relation to adult social care are growing, a survey of lawyers carried out by Local Government Lawyer in association with LexisNexis has revealed.
Of the 56 lawyers surveyed, more than three quarters (77%) reported a heightened risk to councils’ reputations, while three fifths (63%) said the legal risks had grown.
Other key findings in the Adult Social Care 2017 Supplement – published this week – include:
The survey also found that 94% of the lawyers surveyed considered the legal workload relating to social care to have increased substantially.
Social care legal work is also seen by 93% to be becoming a dedicated specialism.
READ OUR ADULT SOCIAL CARE 2017 SUPPLEMENT – in addition to the findings from our survey and a report on a roundtable discussion of senior lawyers, the publication looks at the impact of the Care Act 2014, the Law Commission’s proposed replacement of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, the challenges of health and social care integration, how to tackle bed blocking and much more.