Healthwatch Leeds Joins National Call to Protect Independent Patient Voice during Government Plans to Centralise Oversight
Healthwatch Leeds is standing with over 130 other local Healthwatch services across England to urge the government to halt plans that could significantly weaken the independent voice of patients and the public - 22 July 2025
A letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
In a joint open letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, signed by Chief Officers and Chairs from over 131 local Healthwatch, representing 81% of the national network, concerns have been raised about proposed reforms in the government's new 10-Year Health Plan and the Penny Dash Review.
Healthwatch are currently the bodies tasked with holding health and care organisations to account. Under the proposals, Local Healthwatch would be dismantled, and their statutory powers would be transferred to local authorities and NHS organisations.
"In Leeds, we have a significant impact and are appreciated for holding the local system to account".
Independence Under Threat
The changes would place public engagement responsibilities inside the very organisations they are meant to scrutinise, undermining transparency and public trust. Healthwatch leaders warn that this risks filtering out difficult truths, weakening accountability, and repeating historic failures, such as those uncovered in the Mid Staffordshire scandal.
"Healthwatch is such a valuable part of what we all do. If it goes, Leeds would need another ‘HealthWatch’. It’ll be up to all of to work how that would happen".
Local and National Consequences
Every year, Healthwatch Leeds supports thousands of residents in navigating health and social care services, using their feedback to drive improvements, from GP access to hospital care and mental health support. Without an independent public voice, there is a risk that this vital insight will be ignored.
Healthwatch Leeds is calling on MPs, council leaders, and NHS decision-makers in West Yorkshire to support the campaign to retain independent public voice in health and care.
The open letter has been submitted to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and will be shared with national media this weekend.
"The value of the work that you and the Healthwatch Leeds team undertake on behalf of the citizens of the city is so significant that it is hard to contemplate the health and care system in Leeds continuing to aspire to achieve excellence without your presence! Lets hope that sense prevails and that through the legislative process amendments are made which mean that Healthwatch Leeds continues to provide that independent voice and supporting those under served by the health and care system."
A response letter from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Wes Streeting responded to our open letter on 17 September 2025
On the 17 September 2025, we received a response from Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about the proposed abolition of Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch organisations.
Wes said,
"Thank you for your correspondence of 17 July, co-signed by the Chief Officers/Chairs of 131 Local Healthwatch services about the future of public voice and independent advocacy. I apologise for the delay in replying.
"Drawing from the biggest ever public and staff engagement exercise on the future of the NHS, the 10 Year Health Plan for England outlined how we will reinvent our healthcare model: from hospital to community, analogue to digital and sickness to prevention.
"Central to the Plan is shifting power out of government and to front line services and, most importantly, the patient. As part of this, we share your commitment to putting the patient’s voice at the heart of service delivery.
"We recognise the hard work and successes of Healthwatch England and the local Healthwatch network as a national, independent voice, and the many ways in which they have helped users and patients. However, as Dr Penny Dash found in her review of the patient safety, we believe that simplifying the landscape and reducing the number of intermediaries between service delivery and patients’ views will give patients a stronger voice, make it easier for them to provide feedback and ensure clearer accountabilities for responding to those views.
"In closing down local Healthwatch organisations we will place responsibility for seeking patient, user and wider community input onto integrated care boards, local authorities and providers. This will ensure it is closely aligned with the commissioning and provision of care. It will also be easier and simpler for individuals, patients and users to provide feedback and complain about services at a local level, directly to the commissioners and providers of care. Similarly, the new Directorate in the Department that takes on Healthwatch England’s strategic functions will have an explicit responsibility to encourage feedback and ensure a significant improvement to complaints functions across the system.
"As we deliver these changes, my officials will be ready to continue meeting with Healthwatch England and local chief officers and chairs on the design of the new national system and the patient experience directorate.
I hope this reply is helpful."
Next steps
Healthwatch petition
We are unsatisfied with the response we received from Wes Streeting and now encourage local people to sign and share a petition to help save local Healthwatch.
The petition is asking the government to review its decision to abolish independent local Healthwatch.
- At 10,000 signatures, the government will respond to the petition.
- At 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.
In Leeds, we are well-positioned to continue moving forward and ensure your voice is heard. No immediate changes have been made, so we are still open and working as usual.
One Comment on “Local Healthwatch Services Unite to Oppose Government Plans”
Silencing public voices only serves to further erode our fundamental human rights, as it gives health care providers free reign to make important decisions on our health care without our knowledge, consideration or authorisation and it may also open a door for the Health and Care Sector to escape scrutiny and subsequent accountability for medical mistakes, misdiagnosis, misadventures and mistreatment.
There is in fact no benefit whatsoever to residents and patients losing Healthwatch Leeds and the other Healthwatch organisations around the UK.