Healthwatch Lancashire Statement on the Future of Healthwatch
Like us, you may have seen the news this weekend regarding the government’s decision to close Healthwatch, including Healthwatch England and the network of over 150 local Healthwatch. We are deeply saddened and disappointed by this decision and we are awaiting the publications of the NHS 10 Year Plan and Penny Dash Review into Patient Safety to help us understand this further.
At this very moment the NHS is undergoing yet another major reorganisation, one that will see thousands of roles lost, the government has also chosen to remove one of the few truly independent organisations that champions the voices of patients and the public.
Since 2013, local Healthwatch staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to help hundreds of thousands of people to speak up. We have ensured their words were heard by those in positions of power to shape and change these services for the better. Since day one, they have done this with professionalism, empathy and determination, often under pressure and with limited resources; we couldn’t be prouder of their dedication.
Our work has led to real change. Services have improved, been redesigned and tailored to meet the needs of the people who use them. We’ve brought lived experience to decision-making tables, shared people’s stories with the Care Quality Commission, prompting formal investigations, and published countless reports that have driven action. We are proud of that impact and we’re proud that so much of it has come from working in partnership with local people.
However, none of it would have been possible without the tireless commitment of our team and volunteers, whose energy and passion have powered everything we do.
While we await further detail, our priority remains clear.
We are committed to continuing our work, delivering our local Healthwatch across and wider projects to the highest of standards. Making sure the voices of people in Lancashire continue to be heard in the places where decisions are made. That includes delivering our Workplan for 2025/26, shaped directly by local people and focused on the issues they’ve told us matter most.
We will share more about our future once the government’s proposals are clearer. Until then, it’s business as usual: listening, championing and standing up for people in health and care.