OXFORDSHIRE’S health watchdog is to start carrying out new spot checks on care homes across the county to make sure patients are being cared for properly.

The county’s official health and social care watchdog, Healthwatch, which aims to help people get the best out of health and social care in Oxfordshire, is hoping to recruit about 30 ‘Enter and View’ volunteers to take part in the new scheme.

The volunteers will support Healthwatch’s statutory powers to go into care homes and examine how care is being provided.

They can then report back to the organisations responsible for providing care if action needs to be taken.

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Healthwatch took over from Local Involvement Networks (LINks) on April 1, 2013, as part of a national shake-up across England but has not yet made use of its powers to inspect care providers.

It got off to a shaky start after two board members quit in September last year along with director Rosalind Pearce and in June this year chairman Larry Sanders resigned.

But now, under new chief executive Rachel Coney, Enter and View inspections will begin as soon as volunteers have signed up.

Ms Coney said: “People who provide care in the county have to take notice of what local people need and allow us into their premises to talk to people first hand if we have good reason to think we need to know more about the way care is being delivered.

“This will help us to find out what local people think about the services they receive.

“We need volunteers to sign up now, ready to be trained before Christmas, and to start interviewing people for us in the New Year.”

Healthwatch spokeswoman Susannah Penn said: “Healthwatch has gone through a period of chance but now, with Rachel as our new chief executive, she has a vision for the organisation going forward.”

Healthwatch is also looking for volunteers to become Healthwatch champions and ambassadors.

Champions support events, distribute information about the organisation and promote the things the organisation does to help improve services.

Ambassadors help to find out what people think about services in their area.

To find out more and to sign up, visit healthwatchoxfordshire.co.uk or email hello@healthwatchoxford shire.co.uk

Chequered history

April 2013: Took over from Local Involvement Networks.

August 2013: County board members start work after Oxfordshire County Council were delayed in finding an organisation to run Healthwatch.

September 2013: Director Rosalind Pearce quits citing personal reasons. Two board members resign over the demands of the role.

June 2014: Chairman Larry Sanders steps down claiming hostility from other board members. Healthwatch said he resigned after his version of minutes of a board meeting were rejected by the rest of the members. Interim chief executive David Roulston stepped down as planned after six months in the job.

July 2014: Current chief executive Rachel Coney took over.

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