About the Healthwatch Rutland Authorised Representative role
An Authorised Representative is a trained volunteer who participates in Healthwatch Rutland’s ‘Enter and View’ activities, alongside other Healthwatch Rutland volunteers and staff.
An Authorised Representative is a trained volunteer who makes observations and gathers the experiences and views of patients, consumers, carers and the wider public. The Enter and View function applies to health services for adults and children and social care for adults.
Main tasks and responsibilities
- Visit health services to assess the quality of care from the perspectives of patients and the public. This will include talking to patients, visitors and staff to gather views and experiences
- Visit care homes and other care services to observe care and facilities provided and talk to service users, carers, staff and other visitors
- Assist in the preparation of reports that detail the findings of visits and make recommendations for improvements
- Liaise with health and social care staff and managers to make arrangements for visits and to discuss initial findings
Skills and experience needed
- Interest in health and social care issues
- Good observation and listening skills
- Ability to talk to people from diverse backgrounds
- Ability to be objective
- Willingness to undertake training and develop knowledge/understanding as required
- After training, ability to identify good and poor practice in care
- Ability to present information in a clear straightforward way
- Understand and respect the need for confidentiality
Additional requirements
Authorised Representatives are also required:
- To be over the age of 18 years
- To supply two references
- To have a satisfactory DBS check
- To complete training in ‘Enter and View’ and Safeguarding
Once trained it is at the discretion of the individual how much time they wish to commit
On average an ‘Enter and View’ visit will last 3 hours, allowing for briefing and debriefing. Writing the visit report will take 1-1½ hours
Meetings and training sessions last approximately 2-4 hours
Interested in this role?
Our Enter and View Authorised Representatives
Allan-Jones, Tracey
Hughes, Hollie
Darlington, Jacqui
Jaques, Kay
Lock, Georgia
Nebel, Andrew
Underwood, Janet
Murray, Shirley
Bartlett, David
