Health Bill risks silencing patient voices, warns Dorset MP
Healthwatch organisations are independent bodies that gather feedback from patients and the public and work with health and social care providers to improve services. Under the proposals, they are set to be scrapped and their responsibilities would be transferred to integrated care boards (ICBs) and local authorities.
Critics of the change argue that this would remove an important source of independent scrutiny, requiring NHS organisations and councils to respond to feedback about their own services rather than being challenged by a separate body.
The Health Bill risks silencing the very people the NHS exists to serve.
The NHS Modernisation Bill is currently at the report stage and due for a third reading on 7 September.
Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Helen Morgan described the proposals as “a catastrophic step backwards” and the "greatest backward step in patient safety in a generation."
She added: "Andy Burnham must urgently put an end to this and fix the Health Bill, so that modernising the NHS doesn't come at the expense of accountability, transparency or patient safety."
Vikki Slade, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, said: "At a time when patients are facing long waits and struggling to access care, the answer isn't less independent scrutiny, it's more.
“You only have to look at Healthwatch Dorset's latest [annual] report to see the difference an independent patient voice makes. More than 6,000 local people spoke up about their experiences, and that feedback has already helped to improve services across Dorset.
“The loss of Healthwatch, and the proposals to take away Community Governors from the NHS Trusts will reduce transparency and silence the voice of the community. I have challenged this with NHS Dorset and the Trusts, and I will continue to hold them to account and challenge these changes as the Health Bill goes through Parliament.
“If we remove trusted organisations that speak truth to power, we risk silencing the very people the NHS exists to serve. Patient voices shouldn't be an inconvenience, they should be heard and they should be able to influence services."
Louise Bate, Manager at Healthwatch Dorset, said: "Healthwatch Dorset is operating as usual until we hear more and continuing to ensure that health and social care experiences are heard and used to shape and improve our local services. We are also working hard to urge decision-makers to ensure that there remains a strong, independent mechanism for public feedback — one that is accessible, trusted and accountable."
