{{Short description|Statutory body created in 2013}} {{About|the official organisations established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012|the charity which promotes evidence-based medicine |HealthWatch}} {{Use British English|date=August 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
'''Healthwatch England''' is a committee of the Care Quality Commission established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, which took effect in April 2013. Its role is to gather and champion the views of users of health and social care services, in order to identify improvements and influence providers' plans.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=What we do|url=https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/what-we-do|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-12|website=Healthwatch}}</ref> The Healthwatch network is made of up of local Healthwatch groups in each of England's local authority areas, and Healthwatch England, the national body. In June 2025, the UK government stated an intention to abolish these bodies and move their functions into government departments and the NHS.
==Organisation== Healthwatch England is a statutory body whose purpose is to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services and to speak out on their behalf. The local groups work together to share information, expertise and learning in order to improve health and social care services.
When established, the organisation was hosted by the Care Quality Commission but reported directly to the Department of Health. However, in January 2016, in a move seen as downgrading the organisation after the departure of its first chief executive, it was announced that a new national director would be appointed who would report to the chief executive of the CQC. David Behan said that although the national director would report to him, they would be able to criticise the work of the CQC if necessary.<ref>{{cite news|title=Healthwatch England will have 'freedom to criticise CQC'|url=http://www.hsj.co.uk/topics/policy-and-regulation/healthwatch-england-will-have-freedom-to-criticise-cqc/7001865.article|accessdate=3 March 2016|publisher=Health Service Journal|date=25 February 2016}}</ref>
Sir Robert Francis was appointed chair in September 2018. Louise Ansari was appointed chief executive in November 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Healthwatch England chief revealed |url=https://www.hsj.co.uk/workforce/new-healthwatch-england-chief-revealed/7031374.article? |access-date=28 December 2021 |publisher=Health Service Journal |date=22 November 2021}}</ref>
==Predecessor organisations== Healthwatch followed earlier reorganisations of arrangements to involve patients and the public in the running of the NHS in England. Community Health Councils (CHC) were established in 1974 and abolished in 2003 to be replaced by Public and Patient Involvement Forums<ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2013/may/29/will-healthwatch-give-patients-better-deal Will Healthwatch give patients a better deal?]", The Guardian. Accessed 8 December 2014.</ref> run by the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health. They were replaced in their turn in April 2008 by Local Involvement Networks. Community Health Councils continue in Wales. Scotland has a different system run by the Scottish Health Council.
==Resources== The 148 local Healthwatch groups were allocated £43.5m by the Department of Health in 2013 but the groups only received £33.5m of this, leaving £10m unaccounted for. Anna Bradley, chair of Healthwatch England,<ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/apr/09/anna-bradley-healthwatch-england-chair Anna Bradley, chair of Healthwatch England: standing up for patients]", The Guardian. Accessed 8 December 2014.</ref> said: "This discovery is hugely disappointing. Less than 4p out of every £10,000 spent on health and social care was allocated to champion the cause of consumers in the first place and even this tiny amount is failing to reach those charged with speaking out on behalf of their local communities. The tragedies of Audrey Paley, Mid Staffs, Morecambe Bay and Winterbourne View all highlight what happens when the system fails to listen."<ref>{{cite news|title=£10m of Healthwatch cash 'goes missing'|url=http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/exclusive-10m-of-healthwatch-cash-goes-missing/5067915.article#.UySqbYXBeU4|accessdate=15 March 2014|newspaper=Health Service Journal|date=13 February 2014}}</ref> Almost a third of councils cut their local Healthwatch budgets in 2015–16 by an average of 14%, Blackpool and Hounslow by more than half.<ref>{{cite news|title=Revealed: Third of councils cut Healthwatch budgets|url=http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/revealed-third-of-councils-cut-healthwatch-budgets/5086970.article#.Vdmi0ZZIgYA|accessdate=23 August 2015|publisher=Health Service Journal|date=18 June 2015}}</ref>
For 2018–19 it was planned that the 152 local Healthwatch services should receive £26,064,086 from local authorities to carry out their statutory activities, 35.3% less than was originally planned in 2013. This paid for 408 full-time equivalent staff. Local Healthwatch organisations also engage a considerable number of volunteers.<ref>{{cite news |title=How much funding is your local Healthwatch receiving for 2018/19? |url=https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/news/2018-11-01/how-much-funding-your-local-healthwatch-receiving-201819 |accessdate=2 November 2018 |publisher=Healthwatch |date=1 November 2018}}</ref> In November 2018 it was announced that NHS England and NHS Improvement were to make "significant investment" into the organisation in order to encourage participation in the development of the NHS's long term plan.<ref>{{cite news |title=NHS England and NHSI to give Healthwatch 'significant investment' |url=http://www.nationalhealthexecutive.com/Health-Care-News/nhs-england-and-nhsi-to-give-healthwatch-significant-investment |accessdate=30 December 2018 |publisher=National Health Executive |date=27 November 2018}}</ref>
In 2022 Sir Robert Francis resigned the chair, saying funding cuts meant the organisation could soon struggle "to fulfil its vital role".<ref>{{cite news |title=Patient watchdog chair quits and tells Javid funding cuts are endangering 'its vital role' |url=https://www.hsj.co.uk/patient-safety/patient-watchdog-chair-quits-and-tells-javid-funding-cuts-are-endangering-its-vital-role/7032377.article |access-date=4 May 2022 |publisher=Health Service Journal |date=3 May 2022}}</ref>
==Local Healthwatch== The announced intention was that each local Healthwatch would be an independent organisation, able to employ its own staff and involve volunteers and accountable in its own right.<ref>{{cite news|title=What is Healthwatch?|url=http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/what-is-healthwatch/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907110308/http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/what-is-healthwatch/|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 September 2011|access-date=22 December 2014|publisher=Department of health}}</ref> Plans to make the local Healthwatch in Leicester an independent organisation were thwarted by Voluntary Action Leicester who had been charged with establishing the organisation but would not hand over the contract to the newly established Healthwatch Leicester Ltd.<ref>{{cite news|title=Five quit health watch dog|url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/quite-health-watch-dog/story-25740891-detail/story.html|accessdate=22 December 2014|publisher=Leicester Mercury|date=19 December 2014}}</ref>
==National activity==
The organisation produced a report entitled ''Safely Home: what happens when people leave hospital and care settings?'' in July 2015, which was based on thousands of instances of people leaving hospital without the right planning and support.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hospitals show 'shocking' lack of care discharging vulnerable patients|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jul/21/healthwatch-hospitals-discharging-vulnerable-patients-lack-of-care-|accessdate=21 July 2015|publisher=Guardian|date=21 July 2015}}</ref>
==Criticism== The 2015 People's Inquiry into London's NHS recommended that Healthwatch England be closed down, with local Healthwatch bodies separated from the Care Quality Commission and modelled on the old Community Health Councils. They should link up with local community organisations, pensioners' groups and other community organisations, and be given statutory powers to inspect hospital and community services, to object to changes which lack public acceptance, and to force a decision on contested changes from the Secretary of State.<ref>{{cite web|title=People's Inquiry into London's NHS Supported by Unite the union, London and Eastern region London's NHS at the Crossroads|url=http://www.peoplesinquiry.org.uk/pdf/NHSattheCrossroadsfulldoc.pdf|accessdate=3 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402134030/http://www.peoplesinquiry.org.uk/pdf/NHSattheCrossroadsfulldoc.pdf|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Abolition== On 28 June 2025, the UK government announced that Healthwatch England would be abolished as part of a major restructuring of the National Health Service in England.<ref name="y459">{{cite web | last=Reed| first=Jim|title=Hundreds of NHS quangos to be scrapped in 10-year health strategy | website=BBC News | date=28 June 2025 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w4xl8gyyqo | access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref> The decision to disband the organisation was part of Labour's 10-year health strategy aimed at simplifying NHS oversight, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting citing the need for "more doers and fewer checkers". The government said that they would integrate Healthwatch's functions into the NHS and government departments,<ref name="y977">{{cite web | last=Eades | first=Guy | title=Government plans to abolish Healthwatch England and local organisations in NHS overhaul (updated) | website=Isle of Wight News from OnTheWight | date=4 July 2025 | url=https://onthewight.com/government-plans-to-abolish-healthwatch-england-and-local-organisations-in-nhs-overhaul/ | access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref> with increased reliance on the NHS app for patient feedback. The move drew concern from health leaders and Healthwatch staff, who emphasised the importance of maintaining patient advocacy and feedback mechanisms.<ref name="a860">{{cite web | last=Thandi | first=Gurdip | title=Birmingham health boss warns 'scrapping Healthwatch is dangerous' | website=Express & Star | date=1 July 2025 | url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/health/2025/07/01/birmingham-health-boss-warns-scrapping-healthwatch-is-dangerous/ | access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{Official website}}
{{NHS England}}
Category:National Health Service (England) Category:Patient advocacy