Enter & View

(Last Updated On: 18.05.2023)

Healthwatch Leicestershire has the power to enter and view adult health and social care premises to get a feel for how they are delivering services.

Enter & View visits are conducted by a small team of trained volunteers. Their role is to find out how services are being run and to make recommendations on where improvements can be made.

The visits are usually ‘announced’, which means we have arranged the visit with the service provider.

We can also carry out ‘unannounced’ visits where needed, which means the the team of volunteers enter and view premises without prior notice.

Enter & View visits can happen if people tell us there is a problem with a service.

They can also take place if a service has a good reputation. This is so we can learn what they do well and share this with those who plan, run and regulate local services.

We produce a report for each of our Enter & View visits; these are available for you to read in the report section.

Who can carry out these visits?

  • Members of the public volunteer are trained to become Authorised Representatives to carry out visits on behalf of Healthwatch Leicestershire.
  • They must complete an application form, attend a training course and be checked by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
  • Our volunteers are trained to deal with sensitive situations and confidential information appropriately.

Who are our Authorised Representatives?

  • Sue Staples
  • Ian Staples
  • Mike Perks
  • Sharon Bessey-Saldanha
  • Chris Bosley
  • Jeff Wooldridge
  • Ann Cluskey
  • Tanuja Parmer
  • Lynn Pearson
  • Bob Harrison
  • Simon Farmer
  • Margaret Bellamy
  • Anne Collier
  • Pat Fraser
  • Lynn Pearson
  • Jill Gore
  • Anne Collier
  • Pat Fraser

What will happen after a visit?

  • Our representatives will write a report about what they observe and find out during their visit.
  • The report will make recommendations for improvement, and also highlight good things about the service.
  • Enter and View reports will be made available to the public.

What can you expect from Healthwatch?

  • The majority of Enter and View visits conducted by Healthwatch Leicestershire will be announced to the service provider beforehand. There will be an agreed entry point for Enter and View Authorised Representatives.
  • If an Enter and View visit is unannounced, Authorised Representatives will announce their arrival promptly to a senior member of staff, will wear ID badges and will state the purpose of the visit.
  • Authorised Representatives conducting Enter and View visits will have gone through a comprehensive selection process and training. The representatives will have access to effective supervision and ongoing training and support. They will also have been DBS checked.
  • You will have the opportunity to see and comment on the visit report before it is distributed and publicised. We report findings and associated recommendations – good and bad – to providers, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Local Authority and NHS England, Healthwatch England and any other relevant partners.

The Enter & View and Safeguarding Working Group

The Enter & View and Safeguarding Working Group meet every month to discuss the plans and policies for Enter & View.

Sue Staples is the Chair of the Enter & View and Safeguarding Working Group.

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