Government plans to scrap Healthwatch services across England spark concern for patient voice

The Government has announced plans to close Healthwatch England and all 150+ local Healthwatch services as part of a wider NHS restructure aimed at reducing bureaucracy. While the full details are yet to be confirmed, the changes raise serious concerns about how patients and the public will continue to be heard.

What’s changing?

Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed the closure of Healthwatch as part of a ten-year plan to simplify NHS structures and save money. The announcement is part of a broader move to shut more than 200 NHS oversight bodies and bring more decisions under direct government control.

The Health Secretary has said that patients with complaints should contact NHS hospital trusts directly. However, many people turn to Healthwatch when they feel services haven’t responded or don’t know how to raise concerns on their own.

The NHS App will also become the default way for millions of people to contact their GP, with patient ratings influencing NHS funding. While these changes may streamline some processes, there is currently no clear plan for how the public will be supported to share feedback, access advice, or raise concerns independently.

Why it matters locally

Healthwatch has played a vital role in making sure people’s experiences shape how services are run. Here in North Yorkshire, we’ve helped people be heard and get the support they need—especially those in rural areas or facing barriers to care.

Most recently, we have:

• Supported people with mental health and emotional wellbeing to share their concerns, resulting in the introduction of new mental health practitioners in GP practices, who help people sooner.
• Listened to farmers’ experiences of accessing care in isolated communities and what would help them seek support sooner.
• Shared the voices of new mums to help improve postnatal care
• Pushed for clearer and more accessible information, especially for people with sensory or learning needs
• Helped people find the right advice to understand their rights, navigate NHS services, and make informed choices
• Supported people who felt they had nowhere else to turn, especially when raising complaints or getting little response from services

Without Healthwatch, people risk losing a trusted, independent place to go for help, especially when they feel dismissed or unheard.

What we know so far

• Healthwatch England and all local Healthwatch services are due to close
• Over 200 NHS bodies are being scrapped as part of the same reform
• There is no confirmed timeline for closure yet, but it is expected to begin in the coming months and complete by October 2026.
• No replacement has been announced for Healthwatch’s role in listening to communities or improving services based on public feedback
• These changes aim to reduce NHS bureaucracy, duplication and redirect funds—but come at the potential cost of patient voice and local accountability

Changes to how people raise concerns

Healthwatch is one of several patient and professional watchdogs to be scrapped under the plans announced by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, in a story first reported by the Daily Mail on Saturday 28 June.

As part of the changes, the Health Secretary stated that patients with complaints should contact NHS hospital trusts directly. However, many people have turned to Healthwatch for support when they felt that services had not responded adequately to their concerns or that their voices had been ignored.

Although Healthwatch don't handle complaints, we know from our work in North Yorkshire that people often come to us when they’re unsure where to turn or when they feel they’re not being listened to. Whether it’s raising a formal complaint, navigating a complex system, or simply needing to understand their rights, our role has been to support and empower people.

What’s next?

We are incredibly proud of the difference local people have made by sharing their experiences—and we will continue our work as normal for now.

Our role remains the same: to listen, to help, and to make sure your feedback reaches the right people. We will also continue to provide trusted information and advice to help you understand your options and take control of your health and care.

We know this news may feel worrying. This is a significant moment—not just for Healthwatch, but for everyone who values being listened to, supported, and treated with dignity in the health and care system.

We believe people should always be at the heart of health and care. That must not change.

We’ll keep you updated as soon as we know more. In the meantime, please continue to share your experiences with us—your voice still matters, and it still makes a difference.