The OPA provides a telephone consultancy service to assist people in seeking alternatives to Guardianship Board orders. As Guardian of Last Resort, the Public Advocate is appointed by the Guardianship Board to make certain life decisions for the person with the mental incapacity. The power may include making decisions about where the person lives, health care and services. A guardian may also give consent to certain medical and dental treatments for people who are incapable of providing their own informed and effective consent. No 13 Consent for Medical and Dental Treatment for Persons with Reduced Mental Capacity for details.
Guardianship involves making decisions on behalf of the person with the mental incapacity.
A guardian is not a case manager or service provider. The role of the guardian is to liaise with service providers and to accept or reject their care and treatment plans. This involves the OPA collecting information and presenting evidence to the Guardianship Board. The OPA will generally provide written reports to the Guardianship Board. Because the OPA is a separate entity to the Board, its reports provide an independent assessment of the circumstances which have resulted in an application for legal protective orders.