Success for Power of Attorney Campaign
FRIDAY, 8 MAY 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Success for Power of Attorney Campaign
‘Start the Conversation’, a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of having a Power of Attorney (POA) granted to a trusted relative or friend has been hailed a success with a rise in the number of POAs registered.
Funded by the Scottish Government, the campaign was launched across the region in November last year by NHS Tayside in partnership with Angus, Dundee and Perth and Kinross Councils, and Tayside members of Solicitors for Older People Scotland.
Sally Wilson, who worked on the project with colleagues in Tayside said, “Many people are unaware that if they become ill or injured and are unable to make decisions for themselves, no one else, not even your next of kin, can do this for them unless they have legally been given power to do so through a Power of Attorney.
“Our aim was to make the public aware of this and encourage people to think about their future and make plans to ensure their wishes for their care are carried out without the need for prolonged legal negotiations.
“We are delighted that the number of Tayside POAs registered with the Office of the Public Guardian Scotland rose during the campaign with 1774 registered in the first three months of 2015 compared to 1161 in 2013. This reflects the hard work put in by members of the team across Tayside.
“We would like to thank everyone involved for spreading the word about the campaign including health and social work staff, local library staff and members of the public who have started their conversations.
“We hope to secure further funding to continue to promote this important message.”
The campaign has a dedicated website, www.mypowerofattorney.org.uk, which provides valuable help and information for anyone interested in finding out more.
Contact:
Gaynyr Dickson
NHS Tayside Communications
01382 740716
