Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968

6 Supervision of establishments providing accommodation for persons and inspection of records etc.S

(1)Any [F1person duly authorised by] the Secretary of State may enter any of the following places for the purpose of making such examinations into the state and management of the place [F2the facilities and services provided therein], and the condition and treatment of the persons in it, as he thinks necessary and for the purpose of inspecting any records or registers [F3(in whatever form they are held) relating to the place or to any person for whom services have been or are provided there] by virtue of this Act [F4or section 7 (functions of local authorities) or 8 (provision of after-care services) of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984], that is to say—

(a)any residential or other establishment provided by a local authority or a voluntary organisation or other person for the purposes of this Act [F5or section 7 or 8 of the said Act of 1984,];

(b)any place where there is being maintained—

(i)a foster child within the meaning of the [F6Foster Children (Scotland) Act 1984],

(ii)a protected child within the meaning of [F7section 32 of the M1Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978];

[F8(iii)a child who has been placed for adoption by an adoption agency (within the meaning of section 1 of the [F9M2Adoption Act 1978]);]

(c)any place where any person is for the time being boarded out by a local authority or a voluntary organisation;

(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F10

(2)Any such [F11person] as aforesaid may at all reasonable times enter the offices of a local authority or of a voluntary organisation for the purpose of inspecting any records or registers relating to any establishment or place mentioned in the foregoing subsection or relating to any persons to whom the authority or organisation has made available advice, guidance or assistance in pursuance of this Act [F12or section 7 or 8 of the said Act of 1984], or who may require such advice, guidance or assistance, and may carry out that inspection.

[F13(2A)Any such person may require the owner of, or any person employed in, the establishment or place in question to furnish him with such information as he may request.

(2B)In exercising the power to inspect records and registers under this section a person—

(a)shall be entitled at any reasonable time to have access to, and inspect and check the operation of, any computer and any associated apparatus or material which is or has been in use in connection with the records or register in question; and

(b)may require–

(i)the person by whom or on whose behalf the computer is or has been so used; or

(ii)any person having charge of or otherwise concerned with the operation of the computer, apparatus or material,

to give him such reasonable assistance as he may require.

(2C)In exercising the power to inspect places under this section a person–

(a)may interview any person residing there in private–

(i)for the purpose of investigating any complaint as to that place or the services provided there; or

(ii)if he has reason to believe that the services being provided there for that person are not satisfactory; and

(b)may examine any such person in private.

(2D)No person may–

(a)exercise the power to inspect records or registers under subsection (1) and (2) above so as to inspect medical records; or

(b)exercise the power conferred by subsection (2C)(b) above,

unless he is a registered medical practitioner and, in the case of the power conferred by subsection (1) or (2) above, the records or register relate to medical treatment given at the place in question.]

(3)The power conferred by subsection (1) of this section may be exercised in respect of any place which an [F14authorised person] has reasonable cause to believe to be used as an establishment in respect of which the person carrying on the establishment is registrable under Part IV of this Act.

(4)[F15A person] who proposes to exercise any power of entry or inspection conferred by this section shall, if so required, produce a duly authenticated document showing his authority to exercise the power.

(5)Any person who obstructs the exercise of any such power as aforesaid shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F16level 4 on the standard scale].