We're Still Here for You!
1. Transfer the work of Healthwatch England to the Department of Health and Social Care.
2. Transfer the work of local Healthwatch services to the NHS and local authorities.
Read on to see what this means for Healthwatch Tower Hamlets.
On Saturday 28th June 2025, it was reported that the forthcoming Penny Dash Review will recommend Healthwatch England be dis-established along with other independent NHS organisations. According to the report, funding for patient and public engagement would instead be redirected in-house: to Local Authorities for adult social care, and to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) for health services. The stated aim is to bring the patient and public voice closer to service delivery, by embedding engagement directly within these organisations.
While the end of FY2026/27 has been mentioned as a target, we do not currently have a firm timescale for these changes to take effect, or any details of which responsibilities will be transferred to other organisations, or how any such transfers will be managed. However, these changes will require legislation to be passed through Parliament, which is likely to take some time. In the meantime, councils’ statutory obligations to commission local Healthwatch services will continue, and Your Voice will continue to deliver these services to the boroughs with whom we have a contract in the normal way.
What does this mean right now?
While these changes will happen over time, the law has not yet been changed.
This means we are still here, open, and working for you.
We continue to:
1. Listen to your experiences of health and social care.
2. Share what we hear with those in power to help improve services.
3. Provide advice and information to help you find the support you need.
We will keep you updated as more details become available. In the meantime, thank you for your continued support.
“This is clearly a sad day for our staff, volunteers, and everyone associated with Healthwatch who have proudly supported people and communities to speak up about their experiences of health and social care.
Over the past twelve years, we’ve helped millions of people raise concerns, access vital advice, and influence real change in the services they rely on. By championing the voices of local communities, we’ve helped drive countless improvements across the NHS and social care - successes I understand the Government recognises.
Our focus now is on ensuring a smooth transition of our functions to the NHS and Government, so that the voices of patients and the public continue to be heard.”
