160Visits

160 Visits

(1)  The Principal Official Visitor must arrange for each approved facility to be visited by an Official Visitor at least once a month.

(2)  The Principal Official Visitor must arrange for an Official Visitor to visit premises in or from which a patient is being provided with services under this Act if requested to do so by –

(a) the patient; or

(b) a representative or support person of the patient; or

(c) a person who, in the opinion of the Principal Official Visitor, has a genuine interest in the patient's welfare; or

(d) [Section 160 Subsection (2) amended by S.R. 2020, No. 20, Applied:25 Mar 2020] the responsible Minister.

(3)  The Principal Official Visitor is not obliged to comply with subsection (2)(a) in respect of any premises if –

(a) those premises have been visited by an Official Visitor in the month immediately preceding the making of the relevant request; or

(b) the Principal Official Visitor considers the relevant request to be frivolous or vexatious.

(4)  A visit under this section may be made with or without notice.

(5)  A visit to an SMHU under this section is subject to statutory or other reasonable requirements relating to the management, good order and discipline of the SMHU.