What are the alternatives to having a guardian?
Informal mechanisms Not everyone requires a guardian; sometimes informal decision-making can work. That is when the nature of the decision is not of a legal imperative. If a guardian is not required there are several agencies (see links below) available that can assist and give advice about the variety of issues that affect people with a disability. The Intellectual Disability Rights Service (IDRS) http://www.idrs.org.au/ The Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association http://www.mdaa.org.au/ People with Disability Australia Incorporated http://www.pwd.org.au/index.html The Aged Care Rights Service http://www.tars.com.au/ Person Responsible When a person is unable to give valid consent to treatment, medical and dental practitioners have a responsibility to obtain consent from the patient’s ‘person responsible’. A ‘Person Responsible’ is not necessarily the person’s next of kin but is either: A guardian who has the function of consenting to medical, dental and health care treatments;
