Healthwatch Derbyshire Column: Why we must protect Healthwatch's independence
By Helen Henderson, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Derbyshire.
In June, the government announced plans to bring local Healthwatch services in-house under either the NHS or local councils. At first glance, this may not seem significant – but for us, and more importantly for you, it could fundamentally change how your voice is heard in health and care.
For over a decade, Healthwatch has been the independent champion for patients, carers, and communities. Our independence is what allows us to truly listen to people’s experiences – both good and bad – and ensure those views reach the decision-makers with honesty and without bias.
It gives us the freedom to challenge services when things go wrong, but also to highlight where things are working well. If we lose that independence, we lose the ability to speak up freely on your behalf.
This is not just about Healthwatch as an organisation. It’s about every person who has ever faced a long wait for care, struggled to access support, or needed their concerns to be taken seriously. By absorbing Healthwatch’s role into the NHS or local government, we risk weakening the public’s voice at precisely the time when it is most needed.
That is why Healthwatch Derbyshire has joined 130 others across the country in signing an open letter to the Health Secretary, and why a petition has now been launched calling on the government to protect and strengthen, not dismantle, the public voice in health and care. Signing the petition is a way of sending a clear message: that independence matters, and that people’s experiences should never be sidelined.
I urge you to support this petition, share it with friends, family, and networks, and, if you can, let your MP know why you’ve signed. Together, we can help ensure that the public voice in health and care remains strong, independent, and impossible to ignore.
Most importantly, I want to reassure you that Healthwatch Derbyshire is still here for you. We continue to listen, give advice, and make sure your experiences shape the services you rely on. Your stories are powerful – and with your support, we can make sure they continue to be heard.