Death, taxes and childbirth

“Death, taxes and childbirth! There’s never any convenient time for any of them.” Margaret Mitchell – Gone With the Wind, 1936
Having recently lost my father bought into sharp focus the inconvenience of the attending bureaucracy required and reconfirmed our passion to address the unnecessary time, costs and inconvenience of the current paper-based process for all involved.
But, let’s take a step back. Since my mother suffered a stroke and broken hip 10 years ago, with progressive dementia, she has needed 24 hour professional care. My father carried on in the family home and became dependent upon, initially, his children’s support but, as the years took their toll, increasingly on professional and medical home care as his physical and mental capabilities declined. Obviously we first took over his financial management, and that started the paper-trail:
• Enduring Power of Attorney (where are those multiple originals?)
• Wills
• Prescriptions (various and multiple)
• Birth and Marriage certificates
• Medical certificate confirming cause of death (green form) required to get;
• Death Certificate (multiple originals)
These documents required the physical attendance of, as appropriate, my mother and/or father, us children in the roles of next of kin, carers, executors, etc. (in order to prove identity) as well as solicitors, doctors, and registrars to issue, sign, record and store various pieces of paper. These documents, or the information therein, then needed to be provided to Funeral Director, Social Services, Primary Health Trust, District Nurse, Carers, DWP, HMRC, Pension providers, Banks, . . .
IdAssurance, to confirm identity and relationship/authority, Information, verified by Trusted Third Parties, Digital Documents, digitally signed and stored in a secure Personal Data Store, would allow the individual and their delegates to communicate and share relevant verified information and certified documents in minutes with an audit trail for all participants. It would also facilitate the drive for Care in the Home to the benefit of the stressed NHS.
Less cost, less time, fewer errors, easier access, more accountability.