Healthwatch and the NHS Modernisation Bill
The Health Bill (also known as the NHS Modernisation Bill) sets out proposals that would change the current arrangements for how patient and public voices are represented in health and social care.
Under the Bill as currently drafted, Healthwatch England’s functions would transfer to the Department of Health and Social Care. It also proposes that the statutory arrangements for Local Healthwatch organisations would end, with some functions potentially delivered through Integrated Care Boards and local authorities.
It is important to emphasise that these are proposals at this stage. The Bill will go through Parliament and may be subject to amendment before any changes are finalised.
What does this mean for the public?
For now, nothing has changed in practice. Local Healthwatch organisations continue to operate as the independent voice of people using health and social care services.
We will continue to:
- Listen to people’s experiences of care
- Provide information and advice about local services
- Share feedback and evidence with services to support improvements
Your voice remains central to how services are shaped and improved. We encourage people to continue sharing their experiences.
What does this mean for partners?
We will continue working with partners across health and social care and sharing insight from the public to support improvement.
We recognise that the proposals may raise questions about the future arrangements for patient voice functions. We are committed to engaging constructively as the Bill progresses.
What happens next?
We will continue to monitor the progress of the Bill and share updates as the Parliamentary process continues and further detail becomes available.
