The Act Part 5 – Social Care and Social Work: Scrutiny and Improvement Inspections Section 56 – Inspections: authorised persons
98.Subsections (1) and (2) provide that any inspection must be carried out by a person authorised by SCSWIS – an “authorised person” and that such a person may carry out inspections into any or all social services.
99.Subsection (3) provides powers for an authorised person to enter and inspect any premises being used to provide a social service.
100.Subsection (4) provides that any confidential information that a person acquires during such an inspection is not used or disclosed by that person other than for the purposes of the inspection, or if required under law or a court order to disclose, or to the extent that is necessary for the purpose of protecting the welfare of a child or adult at risk, or the prevention or detection of crime or the prosecution of offenders. Confidential information for these purposes is defined in section 105(3) and is information from which a person’s identity can be discovered, either on its own or when combined with other information, and in respect of which a duty of confidentiality is owed to that person.