Keep independent services that give the public a voice

The NHS 10 Year Health plan proposes to abolish Healthwatch England and 152 local Healthwatch, and transfer functions ‘in-house’ to local authorities and NHS Integrated Care Boards once legislation has passed. This is a result of the Review of patient safety across the health and care landscape, led by Dr Penny Dash.

If this goes ahead as planned, it will remove the only collective, independent and statutory opportunity for the public to hold the NHS and social care system to account.  

Given the Dash review’s aim of “greater emphasis being placed on the patient voice”, and the aim of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan to give greater power to patients, we cannot see how this can be achieved by abolishing local Healthwatch, which has worked for the last 12 years to amplify voices which otherwise may not be heard. There has been a statutory provision of an independent service representing the public voice for over 50 years.  

Proposals to bring public voice functions under the control of local authorities or NHS bodies threatens to compromise the impartiality, trust, and effectiveness of these initiatives. Having an opportunity to go to an independent service for advice, help, support or to raise concerns is paramount. Independence is not optional – it is essential for transparency, accountability, and meaningful change.

Instead of dismantling independence, we should be strengthening it.

Why are Healthwatch important? 

We act as an independent, critical friend

Working constructively with local stakeholders, but always with the freedom to raise concerns without fear or favour. Services can’t be held to account by the same bodies that fund or manage them. Independence is essential for honest feedback and meaningful scrutiny.

We amplify the collective voices of people at risk of health inequalities

Speaking to people experiencing health inequalities and asking about the barriers to accessing services. The new plan relies heavily on individuals feeding back to the services they use. Listening to communities is essential to the successful delivery of services.

We are driven by communities

We act based on what people with lived experience say, with no other taskmaster or agenda. We are designed to be owned and governed by communities with their best interest at heart.

We are a bridge across sectors

People do not fit neatly into one box; they often experience and need services across multiple providers. Connecting VCSE organisations, local authorities, health services, and communities to build more integrated and inclusive services.

We are independent, trusted, and impartial

People want an independent service because they often lack trust and fear repercussions sharing their feedback direct with those providing their care. They find provider feedback routes difficult to navigate or have shared in the past and feel that they have not been heard.