Step inside: How listening is improving care homes locally
At Healthwatch North Yorkshire, one of the most powerful ways to help improve health and social care is by listening.
One way this happens is through Enter and View. If you have never heard of it, you are not alone. But it is making a real difference in places like care homes.
What is Enter and View?
Healthwatch has a legal power to visit publicly funded health and social care services, such as care homes, GP practices, and hospitals, and see what is happening. These visits are called Enter and View.
They are not inspections. Healthwatch does not go in with a checklist. Instead, the aim is to speak with residents, families, and staff, and observe everyday life in the service — what is going well and what could be improved.
Healthwatch is independent from the NHS, local councils, and regulators like the Care Quality Commission. That independence helps people feel comfortable and safe when sharing their views.
Why Healthwatch does it
The goal of Enter and View is to make sure people’s voices are heard and used to help improve care.
After each visit, Healthwatch writes a report filled with feedback and suggestions. These are shared with care providers, commissioners, and others who can make a difference. The reports highlight not only what could be improved but also what is working well.
In past visits across North Yorkshire, for example, people have spoken about how important it is to have activities that suit their interests. In one care home, for example, small changes to how meals were served made mealtimes much more enjoyable and comfortable. It's these things that can't be captured on a survey, but can be when you go in and speak to residents and their loved ones.
Who carries out the visits
Enter and View visits are led by trained volunteers. They give their time to help improve services for others.
All volunteers complete training and safeguarding checks before taking part. They observe daily life, ask thoughtful questions, and help people feel relaxed when sharing their experiences.
Each visit is carefully planned. A team leader from Healthwatch works with the care provider and supports the volunteers to make sure everything runs smoothly and the findings are clearly written up afterwards.
What it’s like to volunteer
One of our experienced volunteers, shares what it is like to take part in Enter and View:
“We visit in small teams, speak with residents, families, and staff, and simply watch how care is working. Then we share what we have seen — things like whether people seem comfortable, if information is easy to understand, or how mealtimes are managed. It is amazing how small things can lead to positive change.”
For residents and families, it is a chance to share their views and see changes based on their feedback. For care staff and managers, it is helpful to get an outside perspective and ideas they might not have thought of. For the wider care system, these visits help improve quality and consistency.
Some examples of what Healthwatch teams have noticed include:
- How mealtime routines can affect comfort and dignity
- The importance of providing meaningful activities for people with limited mobility
- Whether information for families is easy to find and understand
More than just Enter and View
Healthwatch volunteers take part in a wide range of activities beyond Enter and View. They also:
- Attend public events, including libraries and hospitals, to speak with people and help people find information and advice when they're feeling lost, not sure where to turn or they want to know their healthcare options to make the best decisions.
- Visit GP practices to share helpful resources like the GP access guide to help patients get the right care quicker and also save GP practices time and duplication.
- Collect stories from people across North Yorkshire about their experiences with care (good and bad) and help Healthwatch feed that back to those in charge of health and social care.
- Reviewed websites of GP practices to help make improvements like clearer information or easier ways to book appointments for those trying to book appointments or find advice.
Volunteering with Healthwatch is varied and rewarding. Many people say they have gained new skills, confidence, and the satisfaction of knowing they are helping others.
Working with providers
Healthwatch North Yorkshire’s approach is always supportive. Feedback is shared with providers, good practice is recognised, and practical improvements are agreed together.
One recent example is a visit to Leeming Bar Grange Care Home, where the care home responded positively to feedback and took forward a number of helpful changes. You can read more about their response in our report:
Care improves when people are heard
Enter and View shows the power of simply listening. It gives people the chance to share their views and helping services respond in meaningful ways. Healthwatch North Yorkshire will continue working with local communities, care providers, and volunteers to make sure real experiences shape real improvements. If you want to play a part in making care better, your voice matters — and Healthwatch would love to hear from you.
