The OPG holds a register of everyone who has a Lasting Power of Attorney, Enduring Power of Attorney and those who have a deputy acting for them under a Deputyship Order and can be searched to find contact details of those involved.
Since the coronavirus outbreak, there has been an increase in the amount of urgent requests to search the database to check Attorney or Deputy details for people who have lost mental capacity.
The OPG has therefore put in place a process specifically for patients incapacitated by COVID-19.
Email requests will only be accepted from official email addresses such as @nhs.uk or @gov.uk and are to be sent to OPGurgent@publicguardian.gov.uk. They aim to respond within 24 hours to requests made between Monday and Friday.
For patients who do not have mental capacity to make decisions for themselves, NHS and social care staff will require this information for a number of reasons which may include:
- Moving a patient out of hospital to an alternative setting.
- Ascertaining best interest treatment decisions for a person who is in hospital due to Covid-19
- Ascertaining best interest decisions for a person affected by Covid-19 whilst undertaking statutory safeguarding duties.
For full details of the guidance please click here.
For more information on Powers of Attorney and our Professional Deputy Service please click on the links.