04/07/2025
The value of an independent patient voice in health and care
Last weekend, the national media reported that, as part of plans to streamline patient safety bodies, Healthwatch England will be closed, and patient voice functions will be brought âin houseâ into the Department of Health and Social Care. This has now been included and confirmed in the 10-year plan for health published by the Government on Thursday 3 July 2025.
The outcome of this approach would mean that locally and nationally, Healthwatch functions will be passed to local authorities and NHS Integrated Care Boards. As yet there is little detail about what this will mean in practice, how it will be resourced and how we can ensure that patient and public voice is shared through an independent and impartial body.
All of us at Healthwatch Bradford & District are deeply disappointed that this announcement has been made without engagement with either Healthwatch or the public. Our staff team, who work tirelessly and are passionate about ensuring local people are heard, deserved far better than to hear of this decision in the media via a leaked statement. Our communities also deserve to be consulted about changes to how they will be represented.
We are also very concerned about the content of the proposals, bringing patient voice into NHS and local authority structures. An independent voice in health and social care is essential to ensure that peopleâs concerns are heard and acted on. Without this, services risk being ineffective, inefficient and fail to address valid concerns shared by patients including their overall experience of care.
Patients and service users too often feel powerless when dealing with clinicians or complex health and care systems. If you experience disadvantage, having a say in your care can feel that much harder. While NHS and council staff strive to provide the best care, they are also under pressure to deliver at scale. We know it is not always easy to make the change needed from the inside nor is it easy to focus on the common themes where there are often quick solutions suggested by our communities. People need to have the confidence that they can take their concerns to an independent organisation whose sole priority is ensuring that peopleâs views are heard and respected. In places as diverse as ours, that confidence is crucial.
Speaking truth to power
As key partners in a range of strategic meetings Healthwatch regularly speaks truth to power. We bring an outside perspective, rooted in the experiences of people across our communities, and we never shy from challenging decisions that the people of Bradford & District tell us will not work for them. People need to know that if they have concerns about how health or care is delivered, that they have an independent organisation they can raise these with, trusting that they will be raised with senior leaders, with services held to account.
What difference does this independent voice make?
In recent years we have worked tirelessly to improve access to services for residents. Our reports have not only been welcomed but have influenced real improvement in services.
We have contributed to the commissioning of public health services by sharing the experiences of local people.
We work directly with health and care providers and make sure that they hear the good, the bad and the ugly of public experience and respond appropriately.
We are involved in influencing the work of partnership boards and committees by providing a person-centred lens, often speaking on behalf of those whose voices and experiences can be easily missed.
We are proud of the positive change we have influenced and that thousands of local people have trusted us with their personal stories and allowed us to be their voice.
The power of independence
It is the very nature of our independence that allows us to speak with this level of honesty and transparency and to raise concerns about changes that, based on local and national experience, we believe will have a negative effect on our neighbourhoods.
Whatâs next?
Until legislation changes, we can assure the people of Bradford & District that our work remains unchanged, and that our duty and commitment to represent them with independence and integrity continues.
We will continue to work with the NHS and Bradford Council to make the case for an independent voice in health and care.
We will share any updates on the situation as we are made aware of them.
We would welcome hearing from you
As an organisation whose whole ethos is about listening please do share your view on the proposed changes, and any recent experiences of health and care services with us via
www.healthwatchbradford.co.uk
or email us on info@healthwatchbradford.co.uk.
Our phone number remains as 0300 5610 987.
Communities across the UK have been targeted with violence, aggression and intimidation. We must continue to stand firm against racism in all its forms.
