The local champion for health and social care, Healthwatch Kingston upon Thames, has welcomed the recent announcement that Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch organisations will be retained and strengthened so that patients' and public experiences play a greater role in improving health and social care services.

Provisions in the Health Bill to abolish Healthwatch England and the network of local Healthwatch are to be withdrawn as Ministers express their commitment to strengthening accountability across the NHS.

The health secretary, Yvette Cooper, told the Guardian: "Patients need a voice in our NHS. I've always been clear on the importance of people and communities having a say in local services and that's why I said I would review all reforms in this area.

"We will retain Healthwatch England and Local Healthwatch, while strengthening them to ensure patient voices are heard and can influence real change across health and care services."



Healthwatch Kingston upon Thames is part of the network of local Healthwatch (Image supplied)

In response, Chief Executive of New Dialogue, the home of Healthwatch Kingston, Stephen Bitti said:"This welcome news reflects the importance of putting local voices at the heart of services.

"Over the last 16 months, our team and local Healthwatch leads across the country have worked tirelessly to demonstrate the value of the Healthwatch network.

"The incredible support we have received from the public and our stakeholders has been heartening in the face of prolonged uncertainty.

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"Our team looks forward to working with local partners to support the transformation plans. As we wait to learn more about the government's new vision for strengthening patient voice, we are, as ever, here, open, and working for local people."

Local Healthwatch is the only statutory, independent infrastructure dedicated to gathering patient, local service user and community experience across both health and social care.

The Local Government Association had warned that abolishing Healthwatch "risks [NHS] organisations being seen to mark their own homework" and could create "confusion" for patients.

Healthwatch Kingston has highlighted the importance of its work, which in recent years has included empowering young people to speak up for their health and care needs, investigating the impact of digital exclusion on local patients, exploring local people's experiences of bereavement support, and championing the voices of socially isolated, physically disabled residents.

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