Letter to Secretary of State
We’ve joined 130 other local Healthwatch from across England to speak out against government plans that could put the independence of public voice at risk.
Together, we’ve signed an open letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, asking the government to rethink proposals that would bring public voice work under the control of councils and the NHS.
Why does this matter?
At Healthwatch, people come to us because we’re independent. We don’t work for the NHS or the council – which means we can listen to people without bias, share their experiences honestly, and raise issues that need fixing.
The proposed changes could make it harder for people to speak up. If public feedback is handled by the same organisations providing care, there’s a risk important concerns might not be properly heard – or acted on.
Helen Henderson, our Chief Executive said:
“Our independence from services is what gives people the confidence to speak up. If we lose that, we risk losing the very voices that need to be heard the most. People come to us because they trust we’ll listen, and that we’re not afraid to raise difficult issues with decision-makers.
"That trust has been built over years – and once it’s lost, it’s incredibly hard to rebuild. These changes risk silencing the people who rely on us the most, and weakening the vital link between communities and the services they depend on."
What does the letter call for?
The open letter calls for a meeting with the Secretary of State and urges the government to protect, not weaken, the public’s right to independent feedback on health and care services.
"Bringing public voice functions in-house risks creating a system where feedback is filtered, inconvenient truths are softened, and accountability is diluted. It sends the wrong message at a time when public trust in institutions must be rebuilt, not eroded"
Read the letter by clicking on the document link on the left.
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