The Department of Health and Social Care (DH) has decided to retain Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch organisations, following plans to abolish the service laid out in May’s Health Bill.
It said today that the patient watchdog will be reformed and “strengthened so that patients’ and public experiences play a greater role in improving health and social care services”.
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It added that Healthwatch will play a greater role in “identifying recurring concerns and highlighting where action is needed to improve quality, safety and patient experience”.
The DH also said the reforms aim to support “more consistent engagement with patients and communities” to help services better respond to local needs, and will give people “a greater say” in how health and care services are designed and delivered.
“Patients need a voice”
Health secretary Yvette Cooper said “patients need a voice in our NHS”.
“I’ve always been clear on the importance of people and communities having a say in local services and that’s why I said I would review all the reforms in this area,” she added.
Healthwatch acting chief executive Chris McCann said it welcomed the DH’s decision, which “recognises the vital role that an independent service user champion plays in helping NHS and social care services to understand people’s experiences and bringing about improvements to the care people receive”.
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He said “reducing health inequalities must remain central” to its work and the watchdog will work with local Healthwatch, local authorities, NHS organisations and other partners to “focus on strengthening impact”.
“At a time when health and care services face significant pressures and are undergoing substantial reform, it is more important than ever that the voices of patients, families and carers are heard clearly and acted upon,” McCann added.
National Pharmacy Association chief executive Henry Gregg praised the move and said hearing patients’ experiences is “vitally important” as the government tries to deliver its 10-year plan.
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“Healthwatch has played a significant role in demonstrating the huge value patients place on access to their local pharmacy, as well as the ongoing impact of pharmacy closures and shortages of medicines,” he added.
It comes after May’s Health Bill proposed abolishing Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch, recommending that the work be transferred to integrated care boards and local authority engagement functions.
And it follows Healthwatch revealing last month that patients have complained of pharmacists placing labels over braille on medication.
