The Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 creates provisions for protecting the welfare of adults who are unable to make decisions for themselves because of a mental disorder or an inability to communicate.

It allows other people to make decisions on behalf of these adults about things like:

• arranging services
• managing finances
• property and medical treatment

People who are most likely to use the provisions of the act include those with a learning disability, dementia, mental ill health, head injury or a physical disability that prevents them from communicating.