Last updated 15 July 2022

Community visitors are within the Office of the Public Guardian and independently monitor accommodation known as ‘visitable sites’. These visitable sites are defined under s 39 of the Public Guardian Act 2014 (Qld) (Public Guardian Act) as a place other than a private dwelling house, where an adult or adults with impairment or with impaired capacity lives. These include:

  • an authorised mental health service that provides inpatient services
  • the forensic disability service
  • residential services with a level 3 accreditation
  • premises where a funded adult participant lives and receives services or supports that are
    • paid for wholly or partly from funding under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
    • provided under the adult participants plan
    • provided by a registered NDIS provider who is registered under s 73E of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth) to provide a relevant class of supports
    • are within the relevant class of supports.

Community visitors ensure the interests of adults with impaired capacity are being safeguarded. A community visitor can enquire into and report on the adequacy of services for the assessment, treatment and support of adults at the visitable site. Under s 44 of the Public Guardian Act, the community visitor has the authority to:

  • access all areas of the visitable site
  • require staff to answer questions
  • request documents related to the support of the adults
  • make copies of relevant documents
  • talk in private with the adults or staff.

The community visitor measures the appropriateness and standard of services for the accommodation, health and wellbeing of adults at the visitable site. They can view the extent of services provided to the adults as well as the adequacy of information given to them, and the accessibility and effectiveness of procedures for complaints about the services. They may enquire into and seek to resolve complaints or identify and make referrals of complaints to an appropriate external agency for further investigation or resolution (s 41 Public Guardian Act). More information about community visitors can be found on the Office of Public Guardian’s website.