Capacity4: Your Trusted Partner for Mental Capacity Assessments

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Capacity4: Your Trusted Partner for Mental Capacity Assessments *

For accessible, expert mental capacity assessments delivered with a personal touch, look no further. Whether you prefer the reassurance of an in-person evaluation or the convenience of a remote assessment from your home, Capacity4 provides the highest quality service you can depend on.

Our Approach

We are a dedicated team of registered health and social care professionals committed to providing high-quality mental capacity assessments. We understand the complexities involved and offer clear, comprehensive cognitive and mental capacity assessments to assist you and your clients. Whether you are in an organisation seeking expert evaluation or an individual or family needing support, we're here to help. Our approach is to connect you with a qualified member of our team who meets your specific needs, offering convenient appointments online or in person.

Our Services

  • Types of Mental Capacity & Best Interest Assessments Offered:

    Decision Specific

    Professional Certificate Provider for Lasting Power of Attorney

    Lasting Powers of Attorney

    Health & Welfare Decisions

    Property & Finance Decisions

    Deputyship - COP3 Forms

    Testamentary

    Probate - PA14 Certificates

    Litigation

    Life Time Gift

    Contracts

    Accommodation

    Best Interests Decisions

    DoLS Best Interest Assessments - Form 3 - for local authorities.

    DoLS Mental Capacity Assessment - Part of Form 4 - for local authorities.

    If your type of assessment is not listed, please contact us to discuss your requirements.

  • Mental Capacity Assessments

    A mental capacity assessment is a process to determine if someone has the ability to make their own decisions about things like their health, welfare, property, finances, or living arrangements. Crucially, it can also provide confirmation that the person had the mental capacity at the time of the assessment to make a specific decision, offering valuable documentation if that decision is challenged in the future. Our professionals conduct these assessments with care and expertise to help clarify decision-making abilities.

  • Standardised Cognitive Assessments

    We use carefully chosen cognitive assessments to get a clear and reliable understanding of a person's mental abilities. These assessments offer an objective way to measure these abilities consistently, which is important for making sound legal or healthcare decisions. By using these well-established tools, we ensure that decisions are based on evidence, not just personal opinions. These tools have been tested with many people, helping to reduce bias and providing scores that are applied in the same way every time. This provides a strong foundation for important decisions in both legal and healthcare situations.

  • The Mental Capacity Act (2005)

    The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is a law that protects people who can't make their own decisions. It assumes everyone can make their own choices and says that if someone can't, any decisions made for them must be in their best interest and with the least restriction to their freedom. The law also emphasises helping people to make their own decisions wherever possible.

Meet our team

  • Zoë Belford, BSc (Hons) OT & Capacity4 Director

    Expertise & Experience:

    A HCPC (Health & Care Professions Council) registered Occupational Therapist with over twenty years of experience of completing Mental Capacity Assessments under the Mental Capacity Act (2005).

    Specialising in dementia, delirium, brain injury, learning disabilities, and other neurological and mental health conditions.

    Experienced in providing court-compliant reports and acting as an expert witness for care and occupational therapy (cost consultancy) predominantly for people with acquired brain injuries within the medico-legal industry.

    Experienced in working directly with solicitors and barristers to provide the necessary evidence and insights for legal proceedings.

    A Secretary of State approved Best Interest Assessor (BIA) - Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards - DoLS (2009). An amendment to The Mental Capacity Act (2005). A postgraduate Master’s degree accreditation. Proficient in assessing mental capacity, and best interests related to decisions about care, treatment, and accommodation (over 600 DoLS reports written).

    Master of Science postgraduate accreditations in Neuroscience & Foundations (Theory & Intervention) Sensory Integration - Dementia, Autism, Learning Disability.

  • Capacity4 Associates

    Choosing Your Expert

    We know it's important to have confidence in the person supporting you. That's why our director personally selects all of our associates, ensuring they have the right expertise to meet your specific needs. Every member of our team is a registered health or social care professional.

    When choosing someone to carry out a mental capacity assessment, we encourage you to check their professional registration. This ensures they are qualified and accountable. You can verify their registration with the relevant body, such as:

    Occupational Therapists: Check the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) register.

    Social Workers: Check the Social Work England register.

    Clinical Psychologists: Check the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) register.

    By choosing a registered and practicing clinician, you can be assured of their professional standards and expertise.

In-person and remote assessments.

Your appointments can take place in the comfort of your own home, a hospital, care home or place of your choosing. Alternatively, if considered appropriate we can meet you via a video call.

Our office

Our office is located in Oakham, Rutland in the East Midlands. If you live too far away for a home visit we can discuss if a video call assessment would be appropriate.

“Oc.cu.pa.tion.al Ther.a.pist: A mender of hope, dignity, and function who helps you reach your utmost potential though methods as dynamic as you are. Enabler of independence. Facilitator of grit. See also: Indefinable, Creative.

Occupational Therapists ask, ‘What matters to you?’ not ‘What’s the matter with you?’ (Dr Virginia ‘Ginny’ Stoffel PhD OT)