Vulnerable Adults Act 2018 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 1 · Preliminary
3. Administration of Act
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2019.
The Director‑General is, subject to the general or special directions of the Minister, responsible for the administration of this Act.
Director‑General
“Director‑General” means the Director‑General of Social Welfare;
The Director‑General may appoint any public officer with suitable qualifications and experience as a protector under this Act.
protector
“protector” means a public officer appointed as a protector under section 3(2);
The Director‑General may appoint a suitably qualified individual as an approved welfare officer to exercise the powers of an approved welfare officer under this Act as directed by the Director‑General or a protector.
The Director‑General may appoint any of the following persons as a mental capacity assessor to assess whether an individual lacks mental capacity:
mental capacity assessor
“mental capacity assessor” means a person appointed by the Director‑General under section 3(4) to assess the mental capacity of an individual under or for the purposes of this Act;
a registered medical practitioner;
a psychiatrist;
a psychologist.
The Director‑General may appoint any public officer with suitable qualifications and experience as an enforcement officer under this Act.
enforcement officer
“enforcement officer” means a public officer who is appointed under section 3(5) to be an enforcement officer for the purposes of this Act;
The Director‑General must issue to each enforcement officer an identification card.
Every enforcement officer whose appointment as such ceases must return to the Director‑General the identification card issued to him or her under subsection (6).
If asked to do so, an enforcement officer must produce his or her identification card for inspection before exercising a power under this Act.
The Director‑General may appoint any of the following persons as an authorised officer for the purposes of sections 27, 28 and 29:
an enforcement officer;
an auxiliary police officer.
Any appointment under this section may be subject to such conditions or limitations as the Director‑General may specify.
Subject to subsection (12), the Director‑General may delegate the exercise or performance of all or any of the powers conferred or duties imposed on the Director‑General by or under this Act to any public officer, except the power of appointment under this section and power of delegation under this subsection; and any reference in this Act to the Director‑General includes a reference to such a public officer.
Any delegation under subsection (11) may be general or in a particular case and may be subject to such conditions or limitations as the Director‑General may specify.
The Director‑General, a delegate under subsection (11), a protector, an approved welfare officer, authorised officer and enforcement officer who, in the course of his or her duty as the Director‑General, delegate, protector, approved welfare officer, authorised officer or enforcement officer (as the case may be), is taken to be a public servant within the meaning of the Penal Code 1871 when exercising a power under this Act.