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From time-to-time as part of our functions to review objections, supervise decision support arrangements and investigate complaints, we may identify the need for a general visitor to visit a person who has a decision support arrangement or their decision supporter to gather certain information.
In these situations, a general visitor from the general visitor panel will be asked to make a visit in line with a set of instructions called a direction given by the Decision Support Service.
What is the role of a general visitor?
The role of a general visitor is to help us to check that an arrangement is working like it should.
We can ask a general visitor to visit a person who has a decision support arrangement or their decision supporter. As part of a visit, they may talk to the person and their decision supporter about the arrangement. They may also talk to other people who have relevant knowledge or information. They may look at and take copies of relevant documents, such as bank records and healthcare records.
The general visitor must send a report to us after every visit.
How are general visitors selected?
First, we must identify the need to send a general visitor to a person with a decision support arrangement or their decision supporter.
A general visitor is then selected from the panel for the visit on a rotational basis based on their geographic location.
Exceptions to a general visitor being selected on a rotational basis include:
- the general visitor who is next on rotation has a conflict of interest
- the general visitor is not able to undertake the visit for any reason
- there is no general visitor in the geographic location
- a highly specialised skill set is needed
How can you be a general visitor?
Appointments to the general visitor panel follow an open recruitment and selection process. Applicants must demonstrate they meet eligibility requirements. Eligibility requirements include:
- they have a relevant professional background or skills, knowledge and experience
- they possess and demonstrate the required competencies
Before being appointed to the panel, applicants who have met the eligibility requirements must undertake mandatory training.
We are not currently recruiting for general visitors.
How long does a general visitor stay on the panel?
A general visitor can stay on the panel for four years.
List of current general visitors
The Decision Support Service maintains a panel of general visitors. The list of current general visitors is available on our website.
What is the role of a general visitor
The role of a general visitor is to help us to check that an arrangement is working like it should.
We can ask a general visitor to visit a person who has a decision support arrangement or their decision supporter. As part of a visit, they may talk to the person and their decision supporter about the arrangement. They may also talk to other people who have relevant knowledge or information. They may look at and take copies of relevant documents, such as bank records and healthcare records.
The general visitor must send a report to us after every visit.