Clare AinsworthBBC News, South West
PA Media
There are fears patients’ views will not be heard if Healthwatch groups are axed
There are fears patients will be left without a voice under plans to abolish a watchdog organisation.
Healthwatch groups in Devon and Cornwall have criticised the government’s plans to disband the organisation set up in 2012 to gather feedback on health and care services.
Dr Kevin Dixon, chair of Healthwatch Devon, said: “We are going to lose something incredibly valuable. This will be the first time in 50 years patients won’t have an independent voice.”
The Department of Health and Social Care said it acknowledged the successes of the Healthwatch network but added: “These changes will make things clearer for patients and give them a stronger voice.”
Healthwatch said it acted as an independent patient voice, feeding back experiences, complaints and local needs to NHS trusts and primary care providers, including integrated care boards (ICBs).
The government has announced plans to scrap all 153 Healthwatch groups with Health Secretary Wes Streeting saying the NHS needs “more doers and fewer checkers”.
Dr Dixon said the government’s proposal ignored the independent voice of the organisation which had been welcomed by both patients and healthcare providers.
“Healthwatch has identified what people want, where they want it and how they want it provided. Patients and residents will be losing that opportunity and I think it’s a real tragedy,” he said.
“We are asking the government to think again about how they are going to give a voice to individuals who may not be a confident or need to raise concerns.
“We welcome changes the government is making at national level but they must not take away the voice of patients.”
Debbie Gilbert, CEO of Healthwatch Cornwall, said the plans were a “travesty”
Debbie Gilbert, CEO of Healthwatch Cornwall, described the plans as a “travesty”.
She said Healthwatch was set up following the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust inquiry, also known as the Francis Report, which revealed widespread failures and systemic problems that led to substandard patient care.
She said switching the watchdog powers from an independent organisation back to healthcare providers was like “marking your own homework”.
“The government needs to learn lessons from the past,” she said.
Healthwatch Devon and Cornwall are among Healthwatch groups across England to have signed an open letter to Streeting urging the government to reconsider its abolition.
The Department of Health and Social Care said the proposed changes would make it easier and simpler for individuals, patients and users to provide feedback and complain about services at a local level.
A spokesperson said: “The recommendations set out in Dr Penny Dash’s review will help us put patient experience at the heart of the NHS.
“We recognise the hard work and successes of Healthwatch England and the local Healthwatch network. These changes will make things clearer for patients and give them a stronger voice.
“Through our 10 Year Health Plan we will bring patient care into the 21st century, using tech and AI to make checks more rigorous and efficient and ensure we never turn a blind eye to failure.”