Section 163 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting after subsection (3) the following subsection:

(3A)  In addition to subsection (3)(c) , a person discharging responsibilities under this Act must, to the maximum extent of the person's lawful and physical capacity to do so, grant an Official Visitor access to records relating to a patient's assessment, treatment and care (including clinical records) if –

(a) the Official Visitor has requested access to the records, regardless of whether the patient has expressed a wish to see or complain to an Official Visitor; and

(b) the patient or, if the patient is a child, a parent of the patient has not asked that Official Visitors not be granted access to the patient's records.