About Enter and View
Our Enter and View programme looks closely at how people experience local health and social care services. This includes services such as care homes, pharmacies, hospitals, and GP practices.
We talk to patients, families, carers and staff to understand what is working well and what could be better.
These visits help services spot practical changes that can improve people’s experience across Kirklees and Calderdale.
Before our visits
We contact each service to explain why we want to visit and to agree on a suitable date and time.
Sometimes, if we cannot arrange a visit in advance, we may arrive without notice. But this only happens in exceptional cases.
Before the visit, we tell the service how many people will be coming, how long the visit is likely to last, and we provide leaflets or posters they can display to let people know about it.
On the day of the visit
An Enter and View lead will come with the team. They will introduce themselves and check that it is still a good time for the visit to go ahead.
During the visit, we talk with people who use the service, as well as their family, friends, and staff, to hear about their experiences.
Enter and view is not an inspection. Our authorised representatives will not ask to see personal or sensitive information, such as care plans.
The visit is also a chance for people to ask questions about other health and care services available in the community.
At the end of the visit, the lead will explain what happens next and may share positive feedback or concerns they have noticed.
Our report
After our visit, we will send a report to the service. This is based on our observations and the experiences that people shared with us on the day.
We also gather additional feedback via surveys, which are open for one week following the visit. The report may include recommendations for improvements and is also an opportunity to highlight and share examples of good practice. If we have significant concerns following the visit, we will discuss these with the service and any necessary action.
The final report, including the service’s response, will be shared with the relevant commissioner, regulator, and the public.
What does it mean to be an Authorised Representative?
Authorised Representatives are trained volunteers who assist in every stage of the visit – they help to arrange it, to complete it, and to report back the findings. There is guidance and support to do this provided by our Volunteer Coordinator, Katherine Sharp.
When you are asked to be an Authorised Representative for a visit, planning, preparing, completing and reporting back on that visit can be quite time consuming, but you can be involved in as many or as few visits as you would like to be across the year.
If you are interested in doing this role, just get in touch with Katherine (email: katherine.sharp@healthwatchkirklees.co.uk or phone: 01924 450379) to express an interest. Check out our ‘Volunteer’ page for more information.
In addition to doing Enter and View visits, we’re regularly invited to accompany North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group on their Patient Safety Walkabouts at different health care settings. We welcome this opportunity to speak to patients, visitors and staff with the commissioner.
We are clear that any Enter and View work that we do needs to add value to the visits completed in Kirklees by partners at the Care Quality Commission, Clinical Commissioning Group, Kirklees Council and Monitor.
Reports:
If these are not in an accessible format for you, please head to our ‘Contact’ page and get in touch so that we can provide a format that is best for you.