What Is Enter and View?

Sometimes, in order to ensure the LINk's reports and recommendations are fully researched and tell an accurate and complete story, it is necessary for volunteers to visit certain health and adult social care services to observe the nature and quality of services.  This is called 'Enter and View' and the Isle of Wight LINk has recruited a team of 'authorised representatives' to physically enter health and social care premises, which abides by a Code of Conduct set out by the Department of Health. Meet our Enter and View Team .

Enter and View Reports

In October 2011, an informal Enter and View visit took place at the Eye Department in St Mary's Hospital.

Read report.

Read the NHS response.

Enter and View FAQ

1. What do Enter and View visitors do?

Enter and view visitors are involved in: meetings to plan or discuss visits; writing about what they see; team working.
When enter and view visitors report on a visit they can make recommendations to improve the service. These reports and recommendations will be sent to the service providers and/or commissioners, who are required to respond.

2. Who can conduct a visit?

Anyone can be an Enter and View volunteer, as long as they go through the recruitment and training processes. They will then become ‘authorised representatives’ who can enter, view and observe health and social care activities.

3. What support is available?

Enter and View visitors have access to a Volunteer Support Officer who will help with the planning and organising of visits and writing the reports.

4. Who do I talk to about becoming an Enter and View visitor?

If you are interested in learning more about Enter and View, including becoming a volunteer yourself, please contact Gretel Ingham, Isle of WightLINk LocalityManager

5. What happens when I apply?

People are selected by a recruitment process that includes an application form, interview, training, and enhanced CRB checks.

6. How are visits carried out?

A duty is imposed on providers of health and social care services (with certain exemptions) to allow authorised representatives of LINks to enter premises that they own or control to observe the services that are being provided. In addition, there are legally binding Directions that place requirements on those who commission (buy) services from independent providers to ensure contracts made after April 1st 2008  make provision for authorised representatives to Enter and View

7. When can’t a visit be carried out?

• If the visit compromises either the effective provision of a service or the privacy or dignity of any person
• If the premises where the care is being provided is a person’s own home (unless invited by the person whose home it is)
• Where the premises or parts of premises are used solely as accommodation for employees
• Where the premises are non-communal parts of care homes
• Where health and social care services are not provided at the premises (e.g. Offices), or where they are not being provided at the time of the visit (e.g. Facilities are closed)
• If, in the opinion of the provider of the service being visited, the authorised representative, in seeking to enter and view its premises, is not acting reasonably or proportionately; and/or
• If the authorised representative does not provide evidence that he or she is authorised in accordance with the legislation

8. Who does the duty to allow entry apply to?

• Local Authorities
• NHS Foundation Trusts
• Primary Care Trusts
• NHS Trusts
• A person providing primary medical services (for example GPs)
• A person providing primary dental services (for example dentists)
• A person providing primary ophthalmic services (for example opticians)
• A person providing pharmaceutical services (for example community pharmacies)
• Bodies of institutions which are contracted by Local Authorities or NHS Trust
• Primary Care Trusts or Strategic Health Authorities to provide care services

9. Are Children’s Services included?

An important exclusion relates to Children’s social care services. The Government is of the view that it would be inappropriate for children’s social care to be included as there are already effective measures in place to scrutinise and oversee children’s social care and to seek the views of children and young people in the development of their service. More information about regulation and inspection of social care services for children is available at the Ofsted Website www.ofsted.gov.uk

10. What's the difference between Announced and Unannounced visits?

Announced visits are those which are planned in advance with the service being visited fully informed and involved. Unannounced visits are those which take place with limited notice given to the services provider and with limited or no joint planning in advance. Unannounced visits should not normally be carried out and should only take place in exceptional circumstances. Carrying out unannounced visits carries a high risk of the duty to allow entry not applying and access being denied. A further option is to agree with a services provider to an unannounced visit within a specified timeframe – ‘a spot check’ or ‘mystery shopper’ approach

11. Conduct during a visit

Making a point of abiding by the Principles of Public Life is recommended. Authorised representatives should also demonstrate that they have the ability to listen, that they are sensitive to people’s feelings, that they are observant, patient and respectful. Authorised representatives should also be sure to treat staff with respect at all times. The visit should be used to gather views and experiences and to observe the quality of services, not simply to identify faults and problem

12. What if I have significant concerns during a visit?

There may be rare occasions where you are significantly concerned about the safety and well being of others. If this is the case, as a visiting team you must alert the manager or services provider immediately. Following this or if this action is not appropriate you must alert the appropriate authority or commissioning organisation or the Care Quality Commission. In cases where there is evidence to suggest some form of criminal activity then it may be appropriate to notify the Local Authority Safeguarding Officer or the police

Please Note: Volunteers do not carry out 'inspections', visits are designed to gather information. The aim of Enter and View is to enable communities to have access to the best possible services by working constructively with service providers and commissioners.

The Isle of Wight LINk follows the Department of Health’s Code of Conduct for entering and viewing services.