Healthwatch- York councillors’ warning over abolition plans

Councillors have called on the Government to ensure patients and the public continue to have a robust, trusted and truly independent mechanism to voice concerns if Healthwatch is abolished.

City of York Council’s Labour health spokesperson Cllr Lucy Steels-Walshaw said proposals to take the body’s functions in house risked removing the independence which allowed patients to raise concerns about services openly.

Opposition Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Cllr Carol Runciman said some of the worst failures in the NHS and other services were caused by people not being listened to.

The comments come after Labour Health Secretary Wes Streeting said listening to patients must be the core business of the NHS, not an arms-length body.

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Mr Streeting spoke in January in defence of proposals to scrap Healthwatch put forward as part of wider reforms to the way the NHS is run.

The secretary of state first unveiled the plans for the watchdog as part of his 10-year plan for the health service in June.

Current proposals would see the functions of Healthwatch, which launched in 2013, rolled into the Department for Health and Social Care under a new Patient Experience Directorate.

Local Healthwatch functions would be brought into local authorities and NHS bodies.

The Government has said the changes would reduce complexity and bureaucracy in health services and make them more directly accountable.

But local Healthwatch branches and the national body have called on the Government to reconsider the plans.

The King’s Fund health charity said marginalised voices were at risk of being excluded if the plans go ahead.

It also warned people’s voices had been ignored in cases of recent high-profile failings including in maternity care.

The Government would need to pass new laws to scrap Healthwatch and the national body and 153 local ones are set to continue operating as normal.

Speaking at York council’s full meeting on Thursday, March 26, Cllr Steels-Walshaw said the concerning proposals represented a profound shift in health services.

The Labour health executive member said: “For more than a decade Healthwatch has been a trusted independent group for people to share their experiences.

Concerns have been raised about the Government’s plans to scrap Healthwatch (Image: Healthwatch Dorset)

“That independence isn’t a luxury, it’s the foundation that allows people who feel unable to raise concerns directly to do so openly and honestly and it’s what enables transparency.

“We recognise new standards are needed but we must do everything in our power to maintain independence.”

Liberal Democrat Cllr Runciman said there was a risk that patient voices would not be heard if Healthwatch is abolished.

The opposition health spokesperson said: “The Government isn’t tweaking Healthwatch, it’s abolishing it.

“Some of the worst failings in health services didn’t happen because people weren’t speaking, it’s because people weren’t listened to.

“Not everyone knows how to navigate the system or feels safe speaking to the organisations responsible for their care.”