Families across Lanarkshire are being urged to be ‘PoA proactive’ to avoid additional stress and heartache in difficult situations.
The plea comes as health and social care partners support National PoA Day, today.
In the event of illness or accident, Power of Attorney (PoA) is a legal document that allows a nominated person of authority to act or make decisions on behalf of a family member. This becomes essential when a person loses the capacity to make their own decisions following an incident or illness, meaning they are unable to manage their financial or personal affairs.
Professor Soumen Sengupta, Chief Officer of South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, explains, “These are serious matters that none of us want to ponder, but PoA Day provides an opportunity to have an honest yet positive conversation about the importance of making this vital provision.
“Where a loved one can no longer make decisions for themselves — often due to a dementia diagnosis, mental health issue, or injury — distressed families and partners often discover they have no automatic legal rights to direct that person’s medical welfare or financial affairs. A potentially complex legal process then needs to be carried out.
“We know from our experience that having a PoA proactively in place can minimise a lot of additional stress and heartache for families if such a difficult life situation were to occur.
“We would urge families to have this conversation today.”
Professor Ross McGuffie, Chief Officer of Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire, adds, “The campaign aims to encourage people to talk to their loved ones about establishing a PoA. It’s vital that if a person takes ill and is unable to make decisions, someone can step in.
“Having a PoA in place can make a significant difference and ensure that people’s wishes are carried out quickly without prolonged legal negotiations. If a loved one is in the hospital and there is no PoA, this can delay the patient’s discharge, keeping them in the hospital longer than necessary.
“PoA isn’t just for the elderly or infirm; it’s for everyone. It doesn’t mean giving away your power or legal rights, nor does it replace your will. It’s a straightforward document to safeguard your own wishes during your lifetime.”
Power of Attorney – fast facts.
- The only official way to ensure that a trusted family member or partner is legally empowered to oversee their loved one’s affairs is to have a Power of Attorney (PoA) registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland).
- This is such a crucial issue for the people of Lanarkshire, that Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire (HSCNL) and South Lanarkshire Health & Social Care Partnership (SLHSCP) have joined forces to actively support and spread the word about today’s Power of Attorney Day 2023.
- Multiple partners from the public, private and voluntary sector are on board, including the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland), Scottish Legal Aid Board, the Law Society of Scotland and Alzheimer Scotland with support from carers’ networks.
- More details are available at https://mypowerofattorney.org.uk/
