What is Healthwatch Enter and View?

Organisations must allow an authorised representative to Enter and View and observe activities on premises controlled by the provider as long as this does not affect the provision of care or the privacy and dignity of people using services.

These powers do not extend to Enter and View of services relating to local authorities’ social services functions for people under the age of 18.

Providers do not have to allow entry to parts of a care home which are not communal areas or allow entry to premises if their work on the premises relates to children’s social services.

Purpose

The purpose of the visit will be to identify good practice that can be celebrated and shared with others, and to identify any issues about which service users feel concerned.

What happens?

A member of the Healthwatch team will normally contact the provider in advance and let them know about the intended visit. A small team of Healthwatch volunteers will come to observe the service. They will all have received training and will all have had a Disclousre and Barring Service (DBS) check. They will ask staff, service users, and family members if present, some questions in a friendly and informal style about their experiences of the service. Some questions may relate to experiences of health and social care services more generally.

After an Enter and View visit, a short report will be written up and shared with the provider of the service. Recommendations may be made in order to help make services better for the people who use them. The report may also be shared with relevant commissioners and be put up on this website.