The Act Part 6 – Health Care: Scrutiny and Improvement Section 10K – Authorised persons
208.This section provides that any inspection must be carried out by a person authorised by HIS – an “authorised person” - and that such a person may carry out inspections of any or all independent health care services.
209.Subsection (3) provides powers for an authorised person to enter and inspect any premises being used to provide an independent health care service. Subsection (4) provides that any confidential information that person acquires during such an inspection may not be used or disclosed by that person other than for the purposes of the inspection, or if required under law or a court order or disclosed 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 prosecution of offenders. Confidential information for the purposes of the Act is information which can identify an individual and in respect of which a duty of confidentiality is owed to the individual in question.