About this resource

Healthwatch have a legal power to visit health and social care services and see them in action. This power to Enter and View services offers a way for Healthwatch to meet some of their statutory functions and allows them to identify what is working well with services and where they could be improved.

This guide aims to provide guidance to Healthwatch on their power to Enter and View health and care services. It includes recommended practice based on learning from the Healthwatch Network.

It includes: 

• Where Enter and View can take place
• Who can carry out an Enter and View visit
• Key questions to ask covering the different stages of Enter and View
• Responding to reports and recommendations

How to get consent for a case study or photography

Whether it's for social media, your website or publications, an emotive case study and a great photo can catch people's attention and engage your audience.

It's important that you make sure the people in your case studies and photos understand where and how the resource will be used by collecting their written permission. 

You can use the case study and photography consent form below to get people's permission.

Guidance on using Healthwatch England photography

What support is available?

You may not always be able to use your own photography. We carry out regular photoshoots with the public and in health and care services so you can use free, high-quality photos in your work. Visit our photo library.

What does our consent form state?

To be photographed, members of the public are asked to sign a consent form. This makes clear that our network will use the photos to promote Healthwatch. But it also makes clear that if someone withdraws their consent or we no longer have a reason to use an image, we won't use it any new publications or materials.

Our policy changed in 2024 to be in line with CQC's policy. Consent for photos we took before this expires after five years.

We make clear that images may still appear on existing publications and materials because the photos were used within the window of consent in accordance with GDPR, and had a lawful basis for us using them. This could be in old reports/news stories, past social media posts, or backdated collateral.

What should you do when the right to use an image has ended?

When we can no longer use an image going forward, we remove it from:

• The photo library, so the image is no longer available to use
• Current pages on our website (e.g. landing pages), as well as the Communications Centre
• Other social media and communications systems where the image may be stored (such as Facebook Ads Manager, Canva library, MailChimp library, Eventbrite, personal drives etc.)

What if someone withdraws consent?

If an individual actively revokes their consent, we do our best to remove the photo wherever this is practical. For example, we can change an image on old news stories, but we can't remove it from a publication that has already been printed.

We ask that you take similar steps, and will alert you when consent for an image has expired. On the very rare occasion someone withdraws consent, we'll also alert you and ask you to no longer use the image and to remove it from your systems.

Reducing the administrative burden

To save time when asked to remove an image, we would ask that whenever you use an image, you take it from our image library (either on Flickr or our communications centre) and delete the image from your personal computer or shared drive once used. This will reduce the chance of you using an image if consent has expired or been withdrawn.

About this resource

The CiviCRM allows you to create, send and track email marketing all from one place. By using the mailing function within your CRM, you’re able to easily keep track of who has been sent what and whether they have opened it or taken any action.

This resource talks you through the process of creating and scheduling a mailing, and how to evaluate the results.

About this resource

To help manage and track complex sequences of interactions between people in your organisation and contacts in your CRM, there is the Cases function.

Cases can help you to:

• Track a specific workflow or procedures that must be followed that involves different members of staff
• Allow staff to manage and track interactions while avoiding duplication
• Automate the task of resembling and scheduling follow-up activities.

This resource looks at how to create and manage Cases on your CRM.

We recommend that you have a good understanding of using activities, before moving on to cases.

About this resource

One of the many benefits of CiviCRM is its ability to help you keep track of your contact with individuals and organisations by using the activity function. The CiviCRM comes with a number of activities as standard including:

• Meeting
• Outbound phone call
• Engagement/outreach

This resource is for users with administrator permissions to explain how to create and configure new activity types for your Healthwatch, with custom fields if you require them.

About this resource

The CRM is focused on contacts being the key part of the system. All other parts of the system, such as relationships, notes, groups, mailings, events and reporting are based around the contacts you have in your CRM.

This resource is for anyone using CiviCRM and explains what contacts are and how to add, edit and delete a contact.

About this resource

The CRM comes with many features as standard, but it is possible for you to customise the CRM to be able to add your own fields to different areas and aspects of the CRM.
For example, you can create new activities, add new fields to existing activities, add or edit contact fields.

This resource is for CRM Administrators and explains more about how to customise the CRM to suit your local needs.

About this resource

To access your CiviCRM you need a username and password. It is important that your password remains secure, and we encourage you to update this regularly to help ensure your data remains secure.

This resource explains how to regain access to your CiviCRM if you have forgotten your password.

About this resource

As with any system, it is important that you regularly check and monitor who has access to your CRM and the permissions levels they have to ensure your data stays secure.

When new people join or leave your organisation you will need to add or remove them and the permissions they have as appropriate.

This resource is for users with administrator permissions to explain how to best manage users access to their CiviCRM.

About this resource

As well as managing your contacts, the CRM provides an easy way for you to manage events.

This includes everything from creating an online registration form, keeping track of participants and sending email reminders to those who are or have attended your events.

This resource explains how to create an event and manage participants, using the Civi CRM.