Patients deserve an independent voice

This weekend, national media outlets including the BBC and the Daily Mail reported that the Government’s forthcoming ten-year health plan will see the closure of Healthwatch organisations, the National Guardian’s Office and the Health Services Safety Investigations Body.

For over twelve years, Healthwatch Redbridge has provided an independent challenge to health and care services, commissioners and decision makers in the borough, placing the experiences and views of local people at the heart of change. 

From supporting individuals to navigate complex systems to bringing vital local community feedback to national attention, we are proud of the partnerships we have built and the change we have delivered. Thousands of Redbridge residents have been empowered to speak up, resulting in better, more responsive care and service improvement.

Gita Malhotra, Healthwatch Redbridge Chair, has issued the following response:

“Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch leaders were alerted to this news on Friday evening, just hours before it was made public. We have received no explanation, no rationale and no invitation to engage in dialogue. 

“That such a significant development has emerged through the media signals a worrying disregard for the vital role Healthwatch plays.

“Healthwatch Redbridge works independently from the government, commissioners and decision makers. For over a decade, we have challenged poor practice and held services to account when they fail local people – not to make headlines but because this is about the health and well-being of our local people. 

“By listening to experiences from across Redbridge we have heard many stories, which are often uncomfortable to hear: women afraid to attend intimate examinations, BSL users written off as difficult by health professionals, families devastated by toxic cultures in maternity services across north east London. In our work we have sought to shine a light and address these issues on behalf of our residents. 

“Our insights are not just valued - they are used by hospitals, the local authority, and social care providers to make change. We are trusted critical partners, but we never shy away from using our independence to speak up and challenge when care falls short. 

“Without independent challenge, it is all too easy for the needs of our diverse communities to be overlooked and brushed aside by decision makers. 

“The stories and experiences that people share with us are often deeply personal, complex, and challenging. It takes great courage to speak up. Most people simply want to be heard, their experiences taken seriously, and their needs acknowledged. That level of trust in us cannot be replicated overnight – it is built over time through long standing relationships and by being embedded in local communities.  

“In Redbridge and across the country, Healthwatch teams do vital work on ever shrinking budgets to bridge the gap between the public and the systems that serve them. 

“Many of the Healthwatch workforce found out about this threat to their work and livelihoods through the press. 

“These teams are not ‘wasteful' or faceless bureaucrats but passionate, caring and dedicated individuals who support local people, tackle and address health inequalities and hold systems to account. 

“The way this decision and news has been handled is in stark contrast to the government’s avowed commitment to person-centred care and wellbeing.  If we truly want better care, we must start by respecting those who champion patients, not sidelining them."

Healthwatch was established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to ensure that the voices of local people using health and social care services are heard and acted upon. Until that legislation is changed, our duty to local people remains unchanged, and we will continue to serve our communities with independence integrity and purpose. 

We wait to hear the full implications of these changes and will share more information when we have it.