During visits, the community visitor is available for people to talk to about any concerns or complaints they might have with their treatment or the facilities. The community visitor will try to help the person resolve these concerns or complaints, most often by arranging meetings with the right staff person. The community visitor can attend such meetings if requested. If the matter raised with the community visitor is a serious complaint, the visitor is able to undertake a more formal investigation.

Community visitors are also available for people receiving treatment from any NT Mental Health Service community team. Community visitors do not meet people in their own homes, but will meet at a place agreed on by all parties. The Community visitor will attempt to work with the person and service to resolve any complaints or concerns they may have with their treatment.

No. The CVP is independent of the provider of Services. That is why it is located in the Anti-Discrimination Commission.

The Mental Health and Related Services Act and Disability Services Act states that a person cannot be a community visitor or a community visitors panel member if they are employed by, or have any contract with, the Department of Health or contracted service..

Community visitors are community people who have an interest and/or expertise in the respective area. Some community visitors are lawyers, some are social workers, some are mediators and all have a wealth of relevant life experience. Even though some community visitors are lawyers, they do not provide legal advice.

If a person is requesting legal advice, a community visitor will provide information about the most appropriate legal agency to contact and will make contact on the person’s behalf if requested to do so.

The decision to involuntarily admit a person to approved treatment facility is a clinical decision, and community visitors do not attempt to change or influence this decision.

A community visitor can assist by making sure the person is aware of their legal rights. A community visitor can also assist by providing support at meetings, and working with the person and the service to address any other concerns the person might have about their treatment.

A community visitors panel visits the approved treatment facility at least once every six months. During their visit, the panel must enquire into the quality of treatment and services received by persons receiving treatment.

After the visit, the panel must report to the Principal Community Visitor detailing the outcomes of their visit. The Principal Community Visitor then must ensure this report, along with any outstanding recommendations is forwarded to the Person-In-Charge of the facility visited.

A Special Community Visitors Panel is only relevant to Mental Health Services. As a result of amendments to the Mental Health and Related Services Act, Community Visitors Panels no longer visit NT Mental Health Service community teams. Instead, the Principal Community Visitor has the power to convene a panel to visit an approved treatment agency if necessary.

Situations that might warrant establishing a special community visitors panel include the CVP receiving a number of similar complaints about a particular issue, or the receipt of a very serious complaint that might indicate a significant systemic problem.

When visiting an approved treatment facility , community visitors panels can inspect any part of the facility or agency; visit any person receiving treatment; inquire into the admission, detention, care and treatment of persons receiving treatment and inspect documents or medical records as well as inspect any records or registers that the relevant legislation requires to be maintained.