A new report by The King’s Fund has highlighted the importance of maintaining an independent patient voice within health and social care.
The report comes as government plans propose changes that could see the role of independent patient representation significantly altered.
Proposed changes to patient voice
Ministers are expected to introduce a bill that would bring patient voice functions “in-house”, transferring responsibilities currently held by Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch organisations to Integrated Care Boards and local authorities.
The government has also indicated that national responsibilities could move to a new Director of Patient Experience within the Department of Health and Social Care.
If implemented, these changes would mark the end of a nationally recognised independent patient voice, which has existed in different forms for over 50 years.
Why independence matters
The King’s Fund report, “The Future of Patient Voice: Learning from the Healthwatch Model”, highlights that one of Healthwatch’s key strengths is its independence from the health and care system.
This independence helps to:
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Build trust with the public
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Encourage people to share honest feedback
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Ensure services are held to account
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Provide an objective view of how services are working
The report also notes that independence has allowed local Healthwatch organisations to develop strong relationships within communities, helping to gather valuable insight into people’s experiences of care.
Calls for careful consideration
While the report identifies areas where the current system could be improved, it concludes that the Healthwatch model has been more impactful than previous approaches to patient voice.
It also stresses that any future system must demonstrate clear independence from government and service providers to maintain public trust.
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath has also backed the report, emphasising the long-standing importance of independent patient voice. He highlighted that while health and care organisations should listen to feedback, it is essential that people can also rely on an independent body to speak on their behalf.
Our role locally
Local Healthwatch organisations play a vital role in:
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Listening to people’s experiences of health and social care
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Providing information and signposting to services
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Visiting services to observe and gather feedback
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Sharing insights to help improve care
By remaining independent, Healthwatch can ensure that people’s voices are heard clearly, openly, and without influence.
Have your say
Your experiences help shape better health and social care services.
If you would like to share your views or experiences, we encourage you to get in touch with your local Healthwatch.