23145 - Permanent General Visitor

Role

Permanent General Visitor

Business

Office of Public Guardian (OPG)

Location

Each candidate will be appointed to a specified core region and will be expected to undertake frequent travel throughout the region. We are recruiting for the following regions:

North East Region to cover

Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, Darlington, Cleveland

Yorkshire Region to cover

York, Hull, Harrogate, Leeds, Wakefield

East Anglia Region to cover

Peterborough, Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich

South West Region to cover

Bristol, Bath, Dorset, Bournemouth, Taunton

South Wales Region to cover

Swansea, Cardiff, Newport

Mid/North Wales Region to cover

Llandrindod, Llandudno, Shrewsbury

Grade

Higher Executive Officer (HEO)

Salary

National minimum starting salary

£35,335

London minimum starting salary

£40,014

Contract Type

Permanent

Minimum Hours

24 hours per week

Organisational Overview

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects 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. We are an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005.

OPG is responsible for registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and supervising deputies who are appointed by the Court of Protection.

OPG is a fantastic place to work offering a range of development opportunities. The OPG is a disability confident employer and is committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve.

OPG is currently delivering an ambitious transformation programme. This will change the way we provide services and help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support and will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. Transformation will ensure we can better support adults at risk and create high-quality services that are accessible and affordable.

Team Overview

Supervision and Investigation Services (SIS) sits within the Operations Directorate and supports the Public Guardian in carrying out their statutory functions. This includes supervising deputies and guardians to ensure they carry out legal duties, and investigating concerns about deputies, guardians and attorneys.

Visitors play a vital role in this work by carrying out visits to clients, deputies, donors and attorneys, and other relevant parties. Visitors gather and assess information and provide clear, evidence-based reports containing their observations, findings and recommendations.

As a Permanent General Visitor employed by OPG, you will undertake urgent, complex, high-priority and assurance work, often at short notice. You will also support quality and consistency across the wider visitor service through mentoring, knowledge sharing, peer support and service improvement activity.

Are you passionate about supporting some of society’s most vulnerable people, including individuals who may lack mental capacity?

Do you enjoy working independently in a varied and fast-paced environment, managing complex work and collaborating with others to achieve positive outcomes?

Are you looking for an opportunity to share your expertise, influence positive change, and help shape the delivery of a high-quality visitor service?

Duties and Responsibilities

Independently organise and manage a varied caseload of visits to clients, donors, deputies, attorneys and other relevant people on behalf of OPG.

Undertake urgent, complex, high-priority and assurance visits, including work allocated at short notice, in line with operational priorities.

Plan visits efficiently across the geographical region, making effective use of available time and resources while meeting agreed performance expectations.

Gather, assess and analyse information and evidence through interviews, observation records and consultation with relevant professionals and other parties.

Prepare and submit timely, concise, evidence-based reports, ensuring that relevant issues are addressed and findings, observations and recommendations are presented accurately and objectively.

Identify and promptly escalate safeguarding concerns, immediate risks and other matters requiring urgent action in accordance with OPG procedures.

Liaise with deputies, attorneys, carers, family members, legal representatives, health and social care professionals, local authorities and other external organisations when gathering evidence and making recommendations.

Work collaboratively with the Visits Team, case managers, investigators and other colleagues to support effective case progression and the efficient delivery of the visitor service.

Maintain regular contact with independent visitors within the allocated region and contribute to mentoring, peer support, knowledge sharing and the promotion of consistent standards.

Contribute to quality assurance activity, including reviewing work and providing constructive feedback where required.

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, its Code of Practice, relevant safeguarding requirements and other legislative, policy or operational developments affecting the role.

Contribute to service improvement, working groups, training and relevant operational forums, sharing professional knowledge and identifying opportunities to improve quality, efficiency and consistency.

Undertake other duties commensurate with the responsibilities and grade of the post.

Agreed Expectations

This is a home-based role. Each successful candidate will be appointed to a specified core geographical region and will be expected to undertake frequent travel throughout that region. Travel outside of the region and to OPG office locations may also be required to meet business needs.

Candidates must hold a full UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle that can be used for business purposes.

Successful candidates will be expected to attend OPG offices, including Nottingham and Birmingham, for initial training and subsequently as required. This may involve overnight stays.