Ageing parent in the UK: Message in a Bottle, Lasting Power of Attorney and the information A&E needs

Message in a Bottle: how it works

Message in a Bottle is run by Lions Clubs British Isles and is free. Residents keep their personal and medical details in a recognisable plastic bottle in the fridge, and put two green-cross stickers in the home: one on the inside of the front door, and one on the fridge. That way emergency services know a bottle is there (People First (Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster) (opens in a new tab)).

Where to get one: ask at your parent's GP surgery or local pharmacy, or contact a local Lions Club. Many will post one out. Local councils often promote the scheme too.

What to write on the form:

• Name, date of birth, a recent photo
• NHS number and GP practice
• Allergies and reactions
• Current medicines, with strength and directions as on the label
• Medical conditions
• Emergency contacts, in order
• Where the Lasting Power of Attorney and any DNACPR or ReSPECT form are kept
• The date it was last checked

The weak spot is the same as with any paper form: it's filled in once and goes out of date. Put the date on it and review it after every hospital stay or change of medication. Our free one-page ER sheet prints on A4 and can sit in the bottle or on the fridge.

Finding your parent's NHS number

The NHS number is a 10-digit number. According to the NHS, you can find it in the NHS App or an NHS account, on any letter from the NHS such as a prescription, test result or appointment letter, or by contacting the GP surgery. You don't need it to use NHS services, but having it on the sheet speeds things up (NHS: find your NHS number (opens in a new tab)).

Lasting Power of Attorney (England and Wales)

There are two types of LPA, and your parent can make one or both while they still have mental capacity (GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)):

An LPA must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before it can be used. GOV.UK says registration takes 8 to 10 weeks if there are no mistakes, and lists the registration fee (currently £92 unless a reduction or exemption applies). Check the current fee on GOV.UK before applying. LPAs apply in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements.

Not sure if your parent already has one? You can ask the Office of the Public Guardian to search its register. GOV.UK describes this as a free service, and OPG aims to reply within 5 working days (GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)).

LPA checklist for families

• Does a health and welfare LPA exist? Is it registered?
• Does a property and financial affairs LPA exist? Is it registered?
• Who are the attorneys, and do they know?
• Where are the originals (or the registered copies)?
• Does the GP surgery have a copy of the health and welfare LPA?
• Do the banks have a copy of the financial LPA?

Age UK has free, detailed guides on powers of attorney (Age UK (opens in a new tab)).

Going to A&E: what to have ready

• The current medication list (or the Message in a Bottle form, or a photo of it)
• NHS number and GP practice
• Allergies
• A copy of the health and welfare LPA, if there is one, and any DNACPR or ReSPECT form
• Glasses, hearing aids, dentures, phone charger, a notepad

Our US-focused what to bring to the ER checklist covers the packing list in more detail. Most of it applies in the UK too.

Leaving hospital

In England, NHS hospital trusts have a duty to involve unpaid carers in discharge planning as soon as feasible (with the patient's consent), and must check you're willing and able to provide care. Carers UK publishes a free coming-out-of-hospital checklist (Carers UK (opens in a new tab)). Before your parent leaves, ask what medicines were started, changed or stopped, and update the Message in a Bottle form the same day. See our hospital discharge checklist.

Where ParentFile fits

ParentFile works in the UK. Sheets print on A4, and there are fields for the NHS number, GP practice, both Lasting Powers of Attorney and a Message in a Bottle note. It builds the medication list from photos of the boxes and labels, and siblings can open a view-only link without signing up. It organises information. It doesn't give medical or legal advice.