Morag Duff is a former solicitor who currently works as a freelance specialist CHC consultant. She has worked within the field of NHS continuing healthcare for over 10 years providing specialist advice and training for both health and social care organisations Morag is passionate about ensuring the individual is always at the heart of the assessment and care delivery process. In order to achieve this, she believes that partner organisations across health and social care must develop and nurture long-lasting and trusting relationships. This can only be achieved through a shared understanding and acceptance of the principles that underpin the National Framework as well as the processes that are set out in that guidance. Morag has worked closely with ADASS, the Department of Health and NHS England over the years, and was recently involved in the current revision of the National Framework, due to be implemented in October 2018.

Alex is a barrister at 39 Essex Chambers in London, and recommended as a ‘star junior’ in Chambers & Partners for his Court of Protection work. He has been in cases involving the MCA 2005 at all levels up to and including the Supreme Court. He also writes extensively, has numerous academic affiliations, including as Wellcome Research Fellow at King’s College London, and has his own website, www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk, on which he publishes news and blogs on MCA law and policy.

Geese Theatre Company is an internationally renowned team of applied theatre practitioners and group workers, working primarily within the UK criminal justice system and social welfare arenas. The company presents interactive theatre performances and facilitates workshops, specialised training for professionals and consultations for a wide range of social welfare agencies. These include the National Probation Service, community rehabilitation companies, prisons, special hospitals, young offender institutions and youth offending services, local safeguarding boards, clinical commissioning groups and social work teams. Established in 1987, the company has delivered training to over 200,000 people; presented work internationally, most recently in Australia, Sweden, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan; and been the recipient of many national awards, including a BAFTA, a Butler Trust Certificate, and the Arts and Health Award from the Royal Society of Public Health. The session will be led by Andy Watson MBE, the company’s artistic director. Having trained in Paris at the Lecoq School of Mime and Physical Theatre, he joined Geese in 1997, and became artistic director in 2003. His work involves overseeing the artistic integrity of the company’s work, devising theatre performances for use in a wide variety of social welfare settings, and developing creative projects with people in prisons, secure hospitals and in the community. He regularly delivers staff training events for professionals working with vulnerable, marginalised and volatile populations. Andy was appointed MBE in the Queen’s 2018 New Year Honours List for Service to the Arts in Criminal Justice.