21 November 2024

Having a Power of Attorney could make a huge difference to your journey with health and social care this winter.

Not having a Power of Attorney can have a significant impact on the outcomes you or your loved ones can experience when unwell, including long delays in accessing necessary services or being in hospital longer than required. This is because if you have not granted powers in advance, and you lose the capacity to make your own decisions, the courts have to appoint someone to be your Guardian. Family members can apply to be granted these powers after someone has lost capacity, but this is a long and expensive process and requires a court hearing. 

Contrary to the myth of “next of kin”, the only officially recognised way to ensure that a trusted family member or friend is legally empowered to oversee their loved one’s affairs is to have a Power of Attorney registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) ahead of time. Anyone aged over 16 years can grant a Power of Attorney, either solely addressing their welfare or financial affairs or combining both in a single document.

Think about starting your Power of Attorney journey as an essential part of planning for your future. During your planning, ask yourself these five simple questions – this can lead into a conversation with a trusted person about Power of Attorney:

  •  Who knows you best?
  • Who always listens to you?
  • Who cares about you?
  • Who makes smart decisions?
  • Who do you trust?

Philip Grieve, Chief Nurse, Scottish Borders Health and Social Care Partnership said “Every year in the Borders people are impacted by not having a Power of Attorney in place. Whether this is in relation to their care or their finances, having a Power of Attorney can make a huge difference.

“With today being Power of Attorney Day (21 November) why not start the conversation today with a trusted person about granting Power of Attorney. If ill health or an accident means you can’t make decisions for yourself, who do you want to make them for you?”

For more information and practical advice on next steps visit: My Power Of Attorney - Scotland

Find local information here: Scottish Borders - My Power Of Attorney