Established in 2024, the charity’s Member Forum provides a platform for members, who are all living with a dementia diagnosis, to have their voices heard and to campaign for the rights of people affected by dementia. 

The Member Forum recognises the “importance and urgency” of promoting the implementation of the lasting power of attorney, as outlined in the Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016. This provision, which includes decisions relating to care, treatment, and personal welfare, is still not available in Northern Ireland. 

Graham McElhinney, a member of Dementia NI living with Alzheimer’s, and vice chair of the Member Forum, said: “Lasting power of attorney is an issue that has been raised by Dementia NI members across Northern Ireland through their local Empowerment Groups. We work hard to represent the concerns and rights of our fellow members, who are all living with a diagnosis of dementia. 

“We are extremely concerned that Northern Ireland is so far behind the rest of the UK in terms of being able to put a Lasting Power of Attorney in place. We feel this breaches our right to make decisions about our own healthcare.”

Stephanie Green is Dementia NI’s Campaigns Lead, she said: “There are more than 23,000 people living with a dementia diagnosis in Northern Ireland, therefore it is vital this issue is addressed so that the rights of people with dementia can be met.

“In England, lasting power of attorney was implemented in 2007 – two years after the legislation. Here we introduced legislation in 2016, and it may still take several years to implement.” 

Independent MLA and former justice minister, Claire Sugden, has raised the issue of lasting power of attorney on a number of occasions. She said: “People in Northern Ireland still cannot appoint someone they trust to make decisions about their care and treatment if they lose capacity, that is unacceptable.

“In England and Wales, the Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney has been in place since 2007, yet almost ten years after our own Mental Capacity Act became law, it is still not available here. 

“Every year, thousands of people in Northern Ireland are diagnosed with dementia and told to get their affairs in order, but they can’t. 

“Families deserve the same rights as those elsewhere in the UK to plan for future care with confidence and peace of mind. This gap must be closed without further delay.”