Enter & View
What is Enter & View?
The Healthwatch network was established by the Health and Social Care Act 2012, with the right to ‘Enter and View’ places that deliver health and care. The right to ‘Enter and View’ is a statutory power for Healthwatch.
The objective of an ‘Enter and View’ visit is to understand the experiences of patients, collect their views and make observations of the site.
As part of an Enter & View visit Healthwatch:
- Collect the views and lived experiences of people at the point of service delivery (users, carers and relatives)
- Observe the nature and quality of services being delivered
- Write up a report which may include recommendations or praise for good practice
- Share findings & reports with providers, regulators, local authority, NHS commissioners and quality assurers, the public, Healthwatch England and other relevant partners
- Use insights and recommendations to shape health & care decisions that are being made locally
Planned and unplanned visits
Healthwatch have the power to carry out both planned & unplanned visits.
A planned visit is where the provider has been advised at least one week in advance of our intention to carry out an Enter and View. On an announced visit the provider will receive a letter in advance stating the intention to carry out an Enter and View and will be given the opportunity meeting with us prior to the visit taking place.
An unplanned visit is when the provider is unaware that a visit will take place and receives no prior notice.
Enter & View Representatives
All our Enter & View visits are carried out by authorised representatives who have received a DBS check and attended a series of training sessions. Our representatives include Healthwatch Rochdale staff members and volunteers. Our visits are led by a staff member with volunteers making up the rest of the team.
You can find details of our current authorised representatives here
If you are interested in becoming an Enter & View Representative please email info@healthwatchrochdale.org.uk
