Enter and View Authorised
Representative Recruitment Pack
Introduction
This recruitment pack will provide you with:
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Background information about Healthwatch Warwickshire
The recruitment process to become an Enter and View Authorised
Representative for Healthwatch Warwickshire
Our Enter and View Authorised Representative Role Outline
Our Enter and View Authorised Representative Person Specification
We hope you will find it both interesting and useful and look forward to
receiving your completed application.
Background
Healthwatch Warwickshire was created as part of the extensive reorganisation of the NHS through the Health and Social Care Act 2012. This Act
saw the abolition of Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities, and
the creation nationally of NHS England, the NHS Commissioning Board and
Public Health England.
At a local level it saw the creation of Clinical Commissioning Groups and of
the Warwickshire Health and Wellbeing Board, of which Healthwatch
Warwickshire is an influential member.
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To help realise the ambition of the health and social care reforms
Healthwatch was created. A network of 152 local Healthwatch exist across
England and get support from Healthwatch England which influences national
policy and provides advice and guidance.
Healthwatch Warwickshire is an independent organisation funded by the
Department of Health via Warwickshire County Council. Healthwatch
Warwickshire’s Mission is:
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To be the ‘consumer association’ for those who use health and social
care services in Warwickshire
To enable those who are seldom heard to have a real say and an
effective voice in the decisions that affect them
To be a critical friend to those who provide health and social care
services in Warwickshire
Enter and View Visits
One of the tools available to Healthwatch Warwickshire to gain the views of
local residents are Enter and View visits. Under the Health and Social Care
Act 2012 Healthwatch were given the legislative power to ‘Enter and View’
premises where health and/or social care are provided. These visits can be
both announced and unannounced and are an important tool for gathering
views of the service, generating new intelligence and corroborating existing
information about the service.
Healthwatch Warwickshire is committed to developing a rolling programme
of Enter and View visits across the county. We will do this by bringing together
a team of volunteer lay people (Authorised Representatives) who will visit
health and social care providers to listen and learn and feedback. This work
will complement the inspection work undertaken by the CQC and
Warwickshire County Council.
Ultimately, our aim is for health and social care services to improve across
Warwickshire. Enter and View visits are an important part of how we will
achieve this.
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Our Recruitment Process
It is important that Healthwatch Warwickshire’s Enter and View Authorised
Representatives have the right range of skills, interest and experience to
contribute to a successful visit and are fully representative of geographic,
demographic, diversity, equality and inclusiveness issues as they apply to
Warwickshire.
The Role Outline and Person Specification included in this recruitment pack
will help you to think through whether the role of Authorised Representative
is for you. The next stage is to submit an application form, details of which
can be found of page 5 of this pack.
We will use the role outline and person specification, along with the
information you put on your application form, to assess you suitability for the
role after which you may be invited to an (in)formal interview.
The interview is a two-way process. In addition to providing us with an
opportunity to explore your application and suitability for the role further, it
is also an opportunity for you to ask questions of us to help you decide for
yourself whether the role is right for you too.
• Information
• Application
Form
Recruitment Pack
Selection
Interview
• Face to face
interview
• References
• DBS Check
• 1 Day
Induction
Training
Induction/Briefing
Successful applicants will be formally offered a place as an Enter and View
Authorised Representative subject to satisfactory references and DBS check.
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Support for Volunteers
Induction - Successful volunteers will receive a formal induction to
Healthwatch Warwickshire during a day-long session, which will include:
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Information about Healthwatch Warwickshire
What is Enter and View
What we expect from our Enter and View Authorised Representatives
How to conduct an Enter and View Visit
How to write an Enter and View Report
The practicalities of being a volunteer with us e.g. how to complete
expenses claims, support and supervision
At your induction you will receive copies of our Volunteering Policy and
Healthwatch Warwickshire’s Code of Conduct, which you will be required to
sign up to.
Training - Following on from your induction there is a programme of
mandatory half day training to be completed within your first year of
volunteering. Topics include:
 Dementia Awareness
 Mental Health Awareness
 Equality and Diversity
 Safeguarding
 Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
 Confidentiality and Data Protection
 Reporting Back
Ongoing support - Volunteers are supported and managed by our Interim
Services Lead who provides a robust support and supervision process,
including:
 Probation Meeting
 Regular One to One Meetings
 Volunteer Forums
 Bi-Monthly Training Meeting
 Ongoing support as required
In addition to the support received from the Interim Services Lead, we are
keen to ensure that volunteers feel part of the wider Healthwatch
Warwickshire team. There will therefore be many opportunities to meet other
volunteers as well as members of staff and the board in the office and at
meetings and events.
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Additional information
For each visit, you are required to commit between 1 and 3 days in total –
depending on the service being visited. This includes preparing for the visit,
the visit itself and reporting on the visit. Visits may take place in a wide range
of health and social care providers including hospitals, care homes, GP
surgeries, nursing homes, residential units and day centres.
We expect our Authorised Representatives to complete a minimum of 4 visits
per year.
Reasonable travel and out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed in
accordance with our expenses policy. You will be given a copy of our expenses
policy at your induction.
Your application form
If you have decided that you would like to apply to be an Enter and View
Authorised Representative, please complete an application form.
Application forms can be downloaded from the volunteer section of the
Healthwatch Warwickshire website: www.healthwatchwarwickshrie.co.uk
and can be returned to us by post of email.
If you would like to discuss the role with a member of our team before
applying, or would like to apply but for any reason feel that a written
application
form
is
not
suitable
for
you,
please
email:
[email protected] or call 01926 453964.
We look forward to receiving your application.
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Enter and View
Volunteer Authorised
Representative
Enter and View Volunteer Authorised Representative Role
Outline
As an Enter & View Volunteer you will be an Authorised Representative
and an individual member of Healthwatch Warwickshire. You will
participate in our Enter & View activities focusing on viewing and
observing health and social care services provided across the county. The
activities include:
 Preparing for the visit – you will required to attend a preparatory
meeting with your visit partners and the Enter and View lead from
Healthwatch Warwickshire.
 Undertaking the visit – this will be undertaken unsupervised, but
with 2 other Enter and View Authorised Representatives. We
expect you to conduct yourself in accordance with the Healthwatch
Warwickshire Code of Conduct
 Reporting on the visit - a written report of your visit will need to be
produced within 10 working days of your visit which will include
examples of good practice and recommendations on improvements
that can be made. The report will be produced by one of the
Authorised Representatives (the Report Writer) and agreed by all
Enter and View Authorised Representatives. The report will follow
a template and is best drafted and shared electronically
 Following up – you will be following up your visit with the
service/premises either in person or via the telephone to ensure
that the recommendations have been completed. Healthwatch
Warwickshire will also be drawing all the feedback together to form
a bigger picture of good practice and issues across the county
Enter and View visits will always be undertaken as part of a team
comprising of at least two members.
Key activities
 To plan, undertake and report on Enter and View activities
 Be part of reviewing recent Enter & View activity and plan activity for
the future with us
 To contribute to Healthwatch Warwickshire communications i.e.
contributing to our website and our reports
 Contribute to reports presented to the Healthwatch Warwickshire
Board identifying common themes emerging from the visits
 Attend any specialist Enter & View training, annual Safeguarding
training and other training updates as required
 To tell people about Healthwatch outside of the volunteer group
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To provide Healthwatch Warwickshire with information necessary to
maintain accurate records
To observe the Healthwatch Volunteer’s Code of Conduct
Keep up to date with developments with health and social care policy
and practice including from the Care Quality Commission
Accountability
Enter and View Authorised Representatives are accountable to
Healthwatch Warwickshire and the wider community within Warwickshire.
You are not entitled to payment for the services you provide, but may
claim reasonable expenses incurred in accordance with Healthwatch
Warwickshire’s Volunteer Expenses Policy.
Other information
As an Enter and View Authorised Representative, you should be prepared
to have your name published on the list of the Healthwatch
Warwickshire’s authorised representatives and members on our website
and in our Annual Report.
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Enter and View Volunteer
Authorised Representative
Enter and View Volunteer Authorised Representative Person
Specification
Qualifications/Education and Training
Essential
Desirable
None
Health and/or social care
Assessment
Method
Application
Form
Knowledge/experience
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An interest in health and
social care services and a
desire to make
improvements
Ability to report based on
evidence and not opinion
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A good understanding of
the healthcare system
A good understanding of
social care
Worked or volunteered
in either a health or
social care setting
Experience of working
with a wide range of
people
Knowledge of the
barriers people
experience in accessing
health and social care
services
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Application
Form
Interview
Reference
Skills and competencies
Essential
Desirable
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Be able to communicate
effectively with others,
including the ability to
actively listen
Have good literacy skills
Be non-judgmental and
show consideration,
sensitivity and respect to
all irrespective of
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Full UK Driving license
Report writing skills
Ability to present
information to a wide
audience
Computer literate
Access to an internet
connection
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Assessment
Method
 Application
Form
 Interview
 Reference
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background, culture,
age, gender, disability or
presenting issues
Show dignity and respect
to service users
Be observant, open
minded, and objective
Have respect for
individual confidentiality
Take responsibility for
your actions
Uphold the values and
aims of Healthwatch
Warwickshire
Confidence in speaking
with members of the
public
Agree to sign a volunteer
agreement
Be able to travel around
the county independently
Personal attributes
Essential
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Desirable
Have an objective
viewpoint
Have caring attitude
towards others
Ability to work as part of
a team
Be reliable
Good time keeping
Polite/courteous
Recognise personal
limitations and know
when to ask for help
Open minded
Flexible
Trustworthy
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Assessment
Method
 References
 Interview