Introduction
Patients, their relatives or legal representatives, may ask for the patient's signature to be witnessed on several different documents.
These include:
- Last Will and Testament
- Lasting Power of Attorney
- Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment
- Access to Pension Books / Banks / Building Society Accounts
The Trust has no legal responsibility to witness any of the above documents.
Patients should be encouraged to have such documents formalised (by others) before admission, or after discharge from hospital.
Patients must be medically assessed (see Section 4) before any document can be witnessed. The process of witnessing a document will only be undertaken in emergency circumstances and if a signature is required urgently.
Policy Details
| Download: | PDF version |
| Compiled by: | Paralegal / Patient Safety Manager |
| Ratified by: | Safety and Quality Committee |
| Date Ratified: | June 2021 |
| Date Issued: | October 2021 |
| Review Date: | June 2024 |
| Target Audience: | All staff |
| Contact name: | Buzandi Chibawe, Claims Paralegal |
See also:
- Mental Capacity Act
- Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment
- Mental Capacity Act 2005
- Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice
