28/10/2026
📣Great news.....Healthwatch is here to stay!
The Government has announced that Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch organisations will be retained and strengthened, bringing welcome news after a prolonged period of uncertainty about the future of the network.
On 28 October, the Government confirmed that it will not proceed with plans to abolish Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch organisations. Instead, it intends to strengthen the Healthwatch model so that patients’ and the public’s experiences play a greater role in improving health and social care services.
Healthwatch England welcomed the announcement. Its Acting Chief Executive, Chris McCann, said:
“This decision recognises the vital role that an independent service user champion plays in helping NHS and social care services to understand people’s experiences and bringing about improvements to the care people receive.”
The announcement has also been welcomed by those who have highlighted the importance of independent patient representation. In The Guardian, Thea Stein, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Trust, said:
“Healthwatch has played a valuable role in making it more difficult for the NHS to ignore patients’ often frustrating experience of using it.”
What does this mean for Healthwatch Darlington?
Healthwatch Darlington provides a voice for local people, listening to their experiences of health and social care and sharing their feedback with those responsible for planning and delivering services.
Our work helps highlight what is working well, where people are experiencing difficulties and where improvements may be needed. It is important that local people have an independent organisation they can turn to and that their experiences are considered when decisions are made about the services they rely on.
Michelle Thompson B.E.M., Interim Manager at Healthwatch Darlington, said:
“This is very welcome news for Healthwatch and the communities we serve. After a prolonged period of uncertainty, it is encouraging to know that local Healthwatch organisations will be retained and that the Government wants to strengthen the role of patients’ carer’s and the public’s voices in shaping health and social care services.
“For Healthwatch Darlington, our focus remains on listening to local people, making sure their experiences are heard and helping ensure that feedback can contribute to improvements in services. It is vital that the voices of Darlington residents continue to be part of the conversations and decisions that affect their health and wellbeing.”
Looking ahead...
Although the decision to retain Healthwatch is clear, further details about the proposed reforms and how the network will be strengthened are expected as the Health Bill progresses through Parliament.
Healthwatch Darlington will continue its work to ensure local people’s experiences are heard and that the public voice remains an important part of discussions about health and social care in Darlington.
Your voice matters. If you have an experience of health or social care you would like to share, please get in touch with Healthwatch Darlington. Your feedback can help us highlight issues that matter to local people.
Find out more: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/news/2026-10-28/healthwatch-england-and-local-healthwatch-organisations-be-retained
