On going Problems with the office of the public guardian.

[Flower 3]

Hello everyone
I’m hoping I’m not the only one having on going problems with the office of the public guardian OPG. I have been caring for my father now for nearly two years who has Vascular Dementia and about a month ago now had a infarction stroke.
Ever since my father has lived with us I have been involved with the OPG being a deputy, the OPG who I must say is a waste of space, I am stressed enough caring for my father without the inadequate OPG to cope with as well. They have no empathy, just demand, loosing paper work I have sent in and then it turning up three months later, when speaking to members of there team on the phone who give me different information on how to go about situations I have. One telling me to put my dad into rest bite or take him to a day centre and leave him there for the day, sending me generated letters, we are all individuals and don’t need to receive useless letters making demands and telling me that if I don’t do anything they will strip me from the deputy ship ( is this just me that makes my blood boil).
Thank you for reading
Lilly

 

[Grannie G]

Hello @Flower 3

I have no experience of the OPG but can sympathise with your frustration.

It might help if you make an appointment with the Citizen`s Advice Bureau [ CAB ] to see if they can help you. I do know they have advocates who can represent people who are having difficulty dealing with public bodies.

Here is a link to help you find your local office.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk

 

[DesperateofDevon]

Hello everyone
I’m hoping I’m not the only one having on going problems with the office of the public guardian OPG. I have been caring for my father now for nearly two years who has Vascular Dementia and about a month ago now had a infarction stroke.
Ever since my father has lived with us I have been involved with the OPG being a deputy, the OPG who I must say is a waste of space, I am stressed enough caring for my father without the inadequate OPG to cope with as well. They have no empathy, just demand, loosing paper work I have sent in and then it turning up three months later, when speaking to members of there team on the phone who give me different information on how to go about situations I have. One telling me to put my dad into rest bite or take him to a day centre and leave him there for the day, sending me generated letters, we are all individuals and don’t need to receive useless letters making demands and telling me that if I don’t do anything they will strip me from the deputy ship ( is this just me that makes my blood boil).
Thank you for reading
Lilly

The office of public Guardians shouldn’t be giving you advice. Their remit is to ensure legally that LPA is filed correctly & used correctly.

when I rang for advice on LPA authorisation I was clearly told what they can & cant assist with.

I’m sorry you have that experience
Can I ask why you rang them?

apologies if that’s intrusive & you don’t have to reply x
Plus vent away ... we all need to do this as the system is broken & we are continually trying to find a way through it.

 

[Splashing About]

@DesperateofDevon sounds like the OP does not have LPOA and as a consequence has had to request a deputyship from OPG which is an expensive option and requires the OPG to supervise. You pay for the supervision and it isn’t to support you...but to monitor you. They expect you to file documents to evidence you’ve behaved appropriately. It’s the last thing you need in your life when you’re juggling caring and emotional impact.

 

[DesperateofDevon]

@DesperateofDevon sounds like the OP does not have LPOA and as a consequence has had to request a deputyship from OPG which is an expensive option and requires the OPG to supervise. You pay for the supervision and it isn’t to support you...but to monitor you. They expect you to file documents to evidence you’ve behaved appropriately. It’s the last thing you need in your life when you’re juggling caring and emotional impact.

with the craziness of the whole systems it’s anybody’s guess? I have been told by so many professionals different things that I now like everything in black & white.
But yes you have come to the same conclusion as me.

 

[canary]

I had CoP deputyship for my mum for three years and I must say that when I phoned the OPG to ask about what I could, or could not do with mums money I always got a very clear and helpful reply. The reason for this was because I was asking how manage her money and the OPG is a legal body whose function is to protect and administer the finances of people who are no longer able to do this themselves and it appoints deputies to carry this out, but the deputies are not its main concern. Because it has a legal duty of oversight, this means that it does not have any flexibility - any more than the DVLA has the flexibility to allow someone to drive without a licence.

The darkside of all of this is the Annual Financial Report.

For those who do not know - deputies are legally required to submit a financial report every year, using the OPGs return form, in which you have to account for literally every penny of the accounts - where all the money is (accounts/stocks&shares/property), with documentation, a proper paper trail for money that is moved around, accounts for money spent and what it was spent on, plus sections to show that you have dealt with the finances in their best interest and your plans for the next year. It is pretty onerous and took me a few days to complete. As it was for mum and my OH was not too bad and could be left for a few hours I used to make sure he was OK and take myself off to the library to complete it without disturbance and make sure that all the sums added up (there always seemed to be a few pence discrepancy!), but if you are in the throws of 24/7 caring it must be very difficult.

My guess it that this is the reason why someone suggested a days respite - so that the report could be filled in. Another possibility (which was probably suggested) is to get an accountant to fill in the form (fees due are from their account) and send it off. Unfortunately, the OPG cannot waive this duty. If the deputy is unable to fulfil their legal duty (for whatever reason) then the OGP has a legal duty to appoint someone else, often a panel solicitor. IMO I would try any way to get the returns done, but I know that there are several members who have had a panel solicitor appointed for ther PWD and it has worked out OK

 

[Flower 3]

@Grannie G

Thank you for replying, I will give it ago

 

[Flower 3]

Oh goodness, it won’t let me reply to you all.
I need 10posts to add to the links, I will try and reply later.
Thank you all for reading and replying to me....

not good with technology