North Ayrshire residents are being urged to consider their personal and financial affairs on national Power of Attorney Day. 

The day is marked on Thursday, November 23, and families are being encouraged to think about arranging Power of Attorney (PoA) over loved ones in a bid to protect their wishes if the worst should happen.

Without PoA, your family and loved ones have no legal right to make decisions on your behalf should you lose capacity.

Instead, these decisions will be made by the health and social care team looking after you.

Power of Attorney is a legal document allowing a nominated person to act or make decisions on a family member or friend’s behalf, and North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership is appealing for more people to sign up.

Councillor Margaret Johnson, cabinet member for health and social care at North Ayrshire Council, said: “While none of us want to think of a time when we may be unable to make decisions for ourselves, setting up a Power of Attorney can be indispensable should you find yourself ill or with a serious injury.

“Without it, your loved ones could face costly court proceedings in order to be able to make important decisions about your healthcare options and finances.

"It’s really easy to set up, and financial help is available in some cases through Legal Aid.

“It’s never too early to start the conversation with your partner, family or friends - even young people can sadly become incapacitated due to an illness or accident - so don’t put it off. In many cases, by the time people need PoA it’s too late to arrange.”

If you’d like to find out more about Power of Attorney, consult your lawyer or visit www.nahscp.org/protecting-people/power-of-attorney.