General Visitors

Organisation: The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG)
Job title: General Visitors
Time commitment: 75 to 180 visits per annum
Remuneration: from £130 to £427 per visit / report plus travel expenses
Location: Opportunities across England and Wales
Reference number: OPGGENERAL25EW
Closing date: Midday Friday 25 April 2025

Introduction

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is an executive agency, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. The role of OPG is to protect people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. It supports the Public Guardian in the registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) and Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA), and the supervision of deputies appointed by the Court of Protection. It works closely with other organisations to ensure that any allegations of abuse are fully investigated and acted on.
We are seeking applications from candidates based across the whole of England and Wales to cover the below regions:

• North West
• North East
• Midlands
• East of England
• London
• South East
• South West
• North Wales
• South Wales

Role description
We are seeking self-motivated individuals who can demonstrate their professional knowledge, experience or qualifications in social care or health, or areas related to finance or law (e.g. health profession, social work, law, finance, etc) to work as a General Visitor. Please, see application form for further details.

You must have an excellent understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and be willing to travel extensively within your region.

This is a statutory appointment under Section 61 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

You will visit the protected person / donor and those acting on their behalf, and report to the Public Guardian or Court of Protection on the individual’s needs, wishes and best interests and on how the deputy or attorney is managing their affairs.

You will be asked to assess the protected person’s / donor’s capacity to make certain decisions and be expected to consult with associated agencies such as Social Services, Residential or Nursing Care Home Managers, providing accurate and concise written reports within a designated time scale and in accordance with agreed targets and standards.

You will be engaged on a self-employed basis and will be responsible for paying your own tax, national insurance and having professional and public liability.

CONFIDENTIAL

This position may be combined with other work commitments, paid or unpaid.

General Visitor Job Objectives

• Organise and manage visits to the protected person, court-appointed Deputies, and other parties on behalf of OPG or the Court
• Prepare and submit reports for the Public Guardian and Court of Protection within agreed timescales, ensuring that all relevant issues are addressed and are presented accurately and objectively
• Work closely with staff within Supervision and other teams in OPG to ensure that the Visits service is efficient and effective. Liaise with other Visitors to co-ordinate work effectively across the regions
• Liaise with Deputies, carers and other agencies and partners, e.g. Local Authority Social Services Departments, Primary Care Trusts, etc to ensure effective provision of the Visitors
• Maintain files, data, spreadsheets and reports, ensuring confidential information is securely held
• Communicate by email, internet, telephone and other means with Deputies, agencies and OPG, as required
• Maintain and develop your knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act
• Take reasonable care for your own health and safety and for the safety of others in consideration of OPG’s Health and Safety procedures

The role of General Visitor is an interesting and personally rewarding one. It’s also flexible as you’ll determine your own workload.

The role will require a commitment of between 75 - 180 visits per annum and be remunerated at a rate of £130 to £427 per visit / report. The appointment will be made by the Lord Chancellor for a period of 10 years assuming satisfactory completion of an annual appraisal of performance.

Remuneration is taxable under Schedule E and subject to Class I National Insurance contributions. It is not pensionable.

Our selection process is based on your knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act, on your interviewing, and planning skills, including the ability to produce clear, concise reports.

OPG is committed to the Welsh Language Scheme, if you’re fluent in the Welsh language, please let us know. To apply for this post or access further information, please click on APPLY to visit the Cabinet Office website where you can find the Candidate Information Pack and more
information regarding the application process.

The closing date for applications is Midday on 25 April 2025.

If you’re invited to interview, we’ll let you know by May 2025. Interviews are due to be held during June 2025. Please see the information pack for further details.