Welcome
The role of
the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) is to promote
The Office of
the Public Advocate is located on Level 7,
New local numbers for our office are:
Phone 8342 8200 Fax 8342
8250
Toll Free number for country callers: 1800 066 969
News &
Articles
Supported Decision
Making
May 2013
For more news on recognition of the South Australian
Project last week in Ireland, and Supported Decision Making and the NDIS Click
Here
Annual Report 2011-2012
February 2013
The Office’s Annual Report has been tabled in Parliament
on 4 February 2013.
To read the report Click
Here
Medical &
Dental Consent for People Under Guardianship
A new policy has been released which explains when a
person under guardianship can consent for medical treatment and when a guardian
should be called.
To read the policy Click
Here
Information &
Advisory Service
December 2012
The Office of the
Public Advocate (OPA) provides information and advice on the Guardianship
and Administration Act 1993 and other legislation which can assist people
to deal with issues arising from a person losing mental capacity.
From 28 November 2012
individuals seeking advice and assistance from the OPA will initially discuss
their questions with an Information Officer.
This officer will be
available everyday between 10:00am and 2:30pm and will be able to finalise many
requests for information.
OPA Reception staff
will take messages and deal with urgent matters at other times.
Some callers have
complex issues which require more detailed discussion. They will be offered a telephone appointment
with an Advocate/Guardian who will ring them at an appointed time.
By giving definite
appointment times we can provide a more efficient and responsive service to our
customers.
Where necessary an
in-office appointment can also be made.
We will value your
feedback on the new system.
Private Guardian
Survey
November 2012
Earlier this year, 289 people participated in the
private guardians survey. This was conducted by Harrison Research on
behalf of the Office of the Public Advocate. The work was funded by a
grant from the Law Foundation of South Australia. Both Guardians
appointed by the Guardianship Board, and those appointed through an Enduring
Power of Guardianship (EPG) responded. The Research was approved by the
SA Health Human Research Ethics Committee.
The research identified private guardians' need for more
information about their role and support undertaking it. This was
particularly so for enduring guardians. The OPA will address this
need through work just started in our office improve support services for
people using an Advance Directives. For this reason the work of this
survey has been timely. (The OPA has received new SA Government
funding to develop information and mediation services.)
Our Office is grateful to all those who have assisted with this
project - particularly those who completed the survey or attended focus groups.
To
read the final report Click
Here
World Congress of
Guardianship: Guardianship and the United Nations Disabilities Convention
October 2012
The 2nd World Congress has just finished in
At the conference there were two presentations from the South
Australian OPA on Supported Decision Making – one by Senior Practitioner Cher
Nicholson, and another by Public Advocate John Brayley. These two papers
can be accessed below. SA Supported Decision Making Project committee
member and Churchill Fellow on Supported Decision Making, Dianne Chartres, also
delivered a paper.
(An evaluation of the SA Supported Decision Making trial
is expected to be completed soon, and will be posted on this website when
available.)
Presentation on the Supported Decision Making trial –
Cher Nicholson. Click
Here
The future of Supported and Substitute Decision Making –
John Brayley. Click
here
Vulnerable Adults Project
June 2012
On the 14th June 2012, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, John Hill MP,
Minister for Health and Ageing launched the report “Closing the Gaps” prepared
by this office in collaboration with the University of South Australia for the
Office of the Ageing. The report can be
read on the Office of the Ageing website by following this link. To read the report Click
Here
To read the
draft rights based across government older adult protection policy Click
Here
Last updated 5 March 2013