A national petition, launched on 7 August 2025, calls for protecting our independent voice in health and social care so we can keep listening to people, speaking up, and making sure services are held to account.

We’ve joined over 130 other Healthwatch services in signing a national letter to protect the independence of the public’s voice in health and care – and to urge the government to rethink proposed changes.

Last week, national media reported that the Healthwatch network in England are set to close, including Healthwatch Derbyshire. Our Chief Executive, Helen Henderson, has shared a response to this unexpected announcement. While we await further details, our commitment to championing the voices of local people remains unchanged. Click to read the full message.