Power of Attorney could be vital for your family!

A campaign has been launched across Dumfries and Galloway to encourage people to think about Power of Attorney.

Over the coming weeks, the Health and Social Care Partnership, via work within the Delayed Discharge Partnership, wants to raise awareness of preparation and making informed decisions.

Graham Abrines, Interim General Manager for Community Health and Social Care, says: "The message is quite simple. If you have family members, patients or even yourself, who haven't yet thought about how they would like to be supported if they lose the ability to make informed decisions for themselves then now is a good time to consider doing something about it.

"Power of Attorney (POA) allows people, whilst they still have full decision making capacity, to state how they want to be treated and who and it can be more than one person, should be making decisions on their behalf when they are no longer able to do so. Quite simply it takes away many of the dilemmas that families and on occasion clinicians find themselves in when deciding what or what not to do in supporting the person.

"There are some patients across our hospital settings, who with no POA  in place, require  an application by a family member or the local authority for a Guardianship
Order which is required to be heard in the Sheriff Court  to establish who should be making those informed decisions on their behalf.

"Take a moment; if that was you, or somebody you knew how does that make you feel? Particularly if you know there was an easier alternative where the person’s wishes were fully known?"

Many of the local solicitors across the region, who are fully supportive of this approach, will give a 10 per cent discount to anyone wanting to progress with a POA until the end of June.

To view the information leaflet please click here