Health and Welfare Attorney
Someone who knows you. There when it matters.
There may come a time when you can no longer make decisions about your own care.
As your Health and Welfare Attorney, we spend time getting to know you, create a detailed record of your preferences and values, and make sure the right expertise is available when you need it most.
“It’s a pleasure to have someone representing your interests with the highest level of integrity.
My experience with Roberta Svile, owner of Local Care Advisor, has been nothing but positive.
A genuinely caring professional with expertise in the area of long-term care, rehabilitation and nursing facilities for placement after discharge.
It’s a pleasure to have someone representing your interests with the highest level of integrity. My recommendation is to hire her at the outset so she can steer the process and achieve optimal results for your loved one”
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Many people have a Property and Financial LPA in place, but this only covers financial decisions.
Without a Health and Welfare LPA, decisions about your care, treatment, and living arrangements fall to the clinicians and social care teams involved at the time. They are dedicated professionals working within complex and often time-pressured systems, but they won’t always know your preferences, your routines, or what matters most to you, nor be able to provide the level of individual advocacy needed to ensure your wishes are actively represented.
We work alongside your Property and Financial LPA and other professionals involved, ensuring your wishes are clearly understood and reflected in all decisions - with a consistent focus on what is genuinely appropriate for your individual needs and overall wellbeing, rather than what simply meets minimum standards, and with the confidence to question decisions where needed.
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It is not easy to start thinking about a time when you may no longer be able to make your own decisions. But doing it while you have capacity, and on your own terms, means everything is in place if that time comes.
You might consider appointing a Health and Welfare Attorney if you:
● Have no close family, or prefer not to place this responsibility on those around you, particularly where relationships are complex.
● Want someone independent who will focus solely on your best interests, free from competing priorities or external influence
● Have been recently diagnosed with a condition that may affect your capacity in the future, and want clarity and control over how decisions will be made
● Have been appointed as a Health and Welfare Attorney for someone else and would value professional support with your responsibilities.
● Want reassurance that decisions about your care and wellbeing will be actively looked after, not just managed
Many clients choose this service to retain control, clarity, and peace of mind for the future. Whatever your reason, you don’t have to face this alone.
| Getting to know you | Staying connected | When the time comes |
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| We begin with a free initial consultation, to ensure this service is right for you. If you choose to proceed, this is followed by a dedicated meeting to create a detailed record of your wishes, sometimes called a living will. | Each year, we review any changes in your circumstances, health, or preferences, and remain available on an ad hoc basis if anything comes up in between. Where there are health concerns or more complex needs, reviews can be carried out more frequently. Throughout, we keep in regular contact with the professionals involved in your life, so that when the time comes, everyone is already aligned. Any concerns can be raised with us at any time, and we step in promptly whenever needed. | If you lose capacity, we step in fully, already knowing you and your wishes. In the immediate period, our involvement is intensive: liaising with medical teams, finding the most appropriate care options, and ensuring the transition is handled with care. Once you are settled, we visit regularly to make sure your care and wellbeing are carefully monitored, that your wishes remain at the centre of every decision, and that you benefit from all appropriate support, including referrals, assessments, and funding. |
How We Work as Your Health and Welfare Attorney
Our role throughout is simply to make sure you are treated as an individual, and that the care you receive reflects the person we know you to be.
Why choose Local Care Adviser?
Genuine Advocacy
We are not just there to fulfil a legal role. You are getting someone who will genuinely advocate for quality of your life.
Tailored
To You
We take pride in thoroughly researching the options available and finding the right fit for each person, not just what is convenient or closest.
Extensive Network
We work alongside a trusted network of nurses, dementia specialists, and private medical consultants across London and Kent to make sure the right expertise backs our advice.
With You
Every Step
When you move into our duty of care, you will receive regular check-ins, and we will work closely with care providers and professionals involved in your care throughout.
Prices
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Initial Consultation | Free |
| Sign-Up Meeting and Living Will | £500 |
| Annual Review (1 hour) | £90 |
| Ad Hoc Support (per hour) | £45 |
| Full Attorney Involvement (per hour, upper end for night tariff) | £150 - £250 |
Bespoke packages available
The Legal Framework
A Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document administered by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), an agency of the Ministry of Justice. The OPG oversees attorneys and can investigate any concerns, providing an important layer of accountability for you and your family. As an added reassurance, we hold both public liability and professional indemnity insurance.
Referrals
If you work with an individual who may benefit from a Health and Welfare Attorney service, we welcome referrals directly. Please get in touch via email.
“Local Care Adviser has been a great source of support where we act as financial attorney or deputy for clients”
A Case Study in Advocacy
For us, this work is about real people and real outcomes.
This case stays with us as an example of what genuine advocacy can achieve.
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A lady living with dementia had been placed in a care home by social services following a hospital admission as returning home was no longer considered safe.
With no close family or Lasting Power of Attorney in place, care decisions were led by NHS and Adult Social Services while a Court of Protection process was underway to appoint a deputy for her finances.
Her care placement reflected local authority funding availability rather than her individual needs and preferences. With no one to oversee or challenge the decision, there was no one to question whether the placement was right for her. -
Appointed by her Court of Protection deputies - a reputable solicitors firm in Bromley, we visited and quickly identified significant concerns.
She was severely underweight (BMI approximately 14), showed signs of dehydration, and had unexplained leg injuries, with no evidence of appropriate medical escalation.Her repeated requests to leave had gone unaddressed, largely attributed to her dementia rather than properly explored. Care staff described her as “fussy” and “picky” with food, yet a closer review suggested her behaviour was a response to inadequate care, not her true preferences.
Dementia may affect decision-making, but it does not remove a person’s dignity, identity, or right to appropriate care.
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Following a review of her care plan, alongside her own account, we raised concerns regarding malnutrition, hydration, injury management, and lack of medical referrals, as well as unjustified restrictions - none of which could be adequately accounted for by the care home.
We recommended an urgent move to a different nursing home better suited to her needs. Her solicitors acted swiftly, and she was relocated within days - a coordinated effort between incredibly efficient legal professionals, a new provider, and Local Care Adviser.
With extensive dementia experience, we recognise that distress is often communicated in non-verbal or indirect ways. Our role is to interpret these signals and ensure underlying concerns are properly investigated and addressed.
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Within three weeks, the improvement was significant.
She was eating and drinking well, regaining weight, and receiving appropriate medical support, including treatment for her injuries and hearing. This improved her ability to engage, communicate, and settle.
Most importantly, she was in a setting that recognised her as an individual, not simply a set of needs.
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Through conversations with her Deputies and wider network, it became clear she had lived a life shaped by independence, quality, and personal choice.
Without a Health and Welfare LPA, and with financial and care decisions separated, she spent two years in an environment that did not reflect who she was or how she would have chosen to live.
This case is a reminder of how easily unmet needs can go unnoticed - and how much can change when the right questions are asked and decisions are made with the individual in mind.