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The care team at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) said solicitors had walked up to parties with people claiming to be relatives of patients and forced them to sign documents.
An email sent to staff at the trust said there had been a number of incidents.
It said: “LTHT Adult Care has been made aware of incidents of solicitors going to solicitors (and people claiming to be patient relatives) and forcing patients who are unable to consent to sign documents.
“All staff have a responsibility to challenge anyone who goes to a ward without a valid reason to be there, or if staff feel they are not acting in the best interests of patients.”
Helen Christodoulides, the trust’s Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, said: “The care processes in the Trust are strong and good.
“Through these things we were alerted to two incidents that are not related to the concern of the ward staff that legal documents are being discussed and the patients in our care are not able to participate to these discussions.
“We have contacted the families of those affected and discussed the matter with the relevant staff.
“We have also raised this concern with external authorities and our partners.”
A number of hospitals are run by the NHS trust, including Leeds General Infirmary and University St James’s Hospital, but did not disclose where the incidents occurred.
A spokesman for the Solicitors’ Regulatory Authority said: “Solicitors have an obligation not to take advantage of clients or others, and not to take advantage of clients who do not have a solicitation.
“If there is trust of the hospital or other evidence of lawyers doing this work, we urge you to report it to us.”
The regulator recently published guidance for lawyers dealing with clients who have no capacity to make decisions.
It stated that they can accept advice given by a third party acting on behalf of the client “if the person providing the advice has the legal authority to do so” and must act in that interest customer.
According to the NHS, people do not have the capacity to be “bad or disturbed in some way” and this can be caused by conditions such as dementia, brain damage, mental health issues and difficulties. study.
When there is a dispute about what is best for a person with a disability, health professionals can refer the case to the Court of Protection.
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