Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968

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

(1) Any [F1 person 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 [F2 the 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 [F4 or 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 [F5 or section 7 or 8 of the said Act of 1984 [F6 or Part II of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995],];

(b) any place where there is being maintained—

(i) a foster child within the meaning of the [F7 Foster Children (Scotland) Act 1984],

F8 (ii) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F9 (iii) a child who has been placed for adoption by an adoption agency (within the meaning of section 1 of the [F10 M1 Adoption Act 1978]);]

(c) any place where any person [F11 , other than a child,] is for the time being boarded out by a local authority or a voluntary organisation;

[F12 (cc) any place where a child is for the time being accommodated under paragraph (a) of, or by virtue of paragraph (c) of, section 26(1) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.]

(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F13

(2) Any such [F14 person] 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 [F15 or section 7 or 8 of the said Act of 1984][F16 or Part II of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995], or who may require such advice, guidance or assistance, and may carry out that inspection.

[F17 (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 [F18 authorised 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) [F19 A 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 [F20 level 4 on the standard scale].

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 6(1) substituted (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 66(1), Sch. 9 para. 10(4)(a)(i); S.I. 1990/2510, art. 2, Sch.

F2 Words in s. 6(1) inserted (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 53(2); S.I. 1990/2510, art. 2, Sch.

F3 Words in s. 6(1) substituted (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 53(3); S.I. 1990/2510, art. 2, Sch.

F4 Words in s. 6(1) inserted (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 66(1), Sch. 9 para. 10(4)(a)(ii); S.I. 1990/2510, art. 2, Sch.

F5 Words in s. 6(1)(a) inserted (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 66(1), Sch. 9 para. 10(4)(b); S.I. 1990/2510, art. 2, Sch.

F6 Words in s. 6(1)(a) inserted (12.12.1996 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1997) by 1995 c. 36, s. 105(4), Sch. 4 para. 15(6)(a)(i) (with s. 103(1)); S.I. 1996/3201, art. 3(6)(7) (which said art. 3(7) was substituted (7.3.1997) by S.I. 1997/744, art. 2 (with transitional provisions inserted into S.I. 1996/3201 by art. 3))

F7 Words substituted by Foster Children (Scotland) Act 1984 (c. 56, SIF 20), s. 22, Sch. 2 para. 5

F8 S. 6(1)(b)(ii) repealed (12.12.1996 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1997) by 1995 c. 36, s. 105(4)(5), Sch. 4 para. 15(6)(a)(ii), Sch. 5 (with s. 103(1)); S.I. 1996/3201, art. 3(6)(7) (which said art. 3(7) was substituted (7.3.1997) by S.I. 1997/744, art. 2 (with transitional provisions inserted into S.I. 1996/3201 by art. 3))

F9 S. 6(1)(b)(iii) inserted by Children Act 1975 (c. 72, SIF 49:9, 10), Sch. 3 para. 50

F10 Words substituted by Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978 (c. 28, SIF 49:11), s. 67(2), Sch. 2 paras. 3, 5, Sch. 3 para. 10(b)

F11 Words in s. 6(1)(c) inserted (12.12.1996 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1997) by 1995 c. 36, s. 105(4), Sch. 4 para. 15(6)(a)(iii) (with s. 103(1)); S.I. 1996/3201, art. 3(6)(7) (which said art. 3(7) was substituted (7.3.1997) by S.I. 1997/744, art. 2 (with transitional provisions inserted into S.I. 1996/3201 by art. 3))

F12 S. 6(1)(cc) added (12.12.1996 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1997) by 1995 c. 36, s. 105(4), Sch. 4 para. 15(6)(a)(iv) (with s. 103(1)); S.I. 1996/3201, art. 3(6)(7) (which said art. 3(7) was substituted (7.3.1997) by S.I. 1997/744, art. 2 (with transitional provisions inserted into S.I. 1996/3201 by art. 3))

F13 S. 6(1)(d) repealed by Local Government and Planning (Scotland) Act 1982 (c. 43, SIF 81:2), Sch. 4 Pt. II

F14 Words in s. 6(2) substituted (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 66(1), Sch. 9 para. 10(4)(c)(i); S.I. 1990/2510, art. 2, Sch.

F15 Words in s. 6(2) inserted (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 66(1), Sch. 9 para. 10(4)(c)(ii); S.I. 1990/2510, art. 2, Sch.

F16 Words in s. 6(2) inserted (12.12.1996 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1997) by 1995 c. 36, s. 105(4), Sch. 4 para. 15(6)(b) (with s. 103(1)); S.I. 1996/3201, art. 3(6)(7) (which said art. 3(7) was substituted (7.3.1997) by S.I. 1997/744, art. 2 (with transitional provisions inserted into S.I. 1996/3201 by art. 3))

F17 S. 6(2A)–(2D) inserted (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 53(4); S.I. 1990/2510, art. 2, Sch.

F18 Words in s. 6(3) substituted (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 66(1), Sch. 9 para. 10(4)(d); S.I. 1990/2510, art. 2, Sch.

F19 Words in s. 6(4) substituted (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 66(1), Sch. 9 para. 10(4)(e); S.I. 1990/2510, art. 2, Sch.

F20 Words substituted by virtue of Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), s. 289C(1), Sch. 7C (as inserted by Criminal Law Act 1977 (c. 45, SIF 39:1), s. 63(1), Sch. 11 paras. 5, 13) and s. 289G (as inserted by Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 54) (and the said Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 was repealed (S.) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 40, s. 6, Sch. 5); and by 1995 c. 40, ss. 3, 7(2), Sch. 1 para. 3(1), Sch. 2 Pt. II it is provided (1.4.1996) that s. 6(5) shall have effect as if the maximum fine that may be imposed on summary conviction for the offence mentioned therein were a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale instead of a fine of £10 for a first offence and £50 for a second or subsequent offence

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 6(2A)-(2D)(4) applied (12.12.1996 for certain purposes and otherwise 1.4.1997) by 1995 c. 36, s. 36(5) (with s. 103(1)); S.I. 1996/3201, art. 3(6)(7) (which said art. 3(7) was substituted (7.3.1997) by S.I. 1997/744, art. 2 (with transitional provisions inserted into S.I. 1996/3201 by art. 3))

Marginal Citations

M1 1978 c. 28.