Local Healthwatch urge people to sign national petition to save the independent patient voice.
Recent government proposals for the NHS include abolishing Healthwatch across England — removing the independent body that makes sure the public’s views are heard on health and social care.
If this goes ahead, it will be the first time since 1974 that the public will be without an independent champion to speak up for their experiences.
The plans also suggest moving to a digital-first feedback system for NHS and social care services. While technology can make giving feedback easier for some, it risks excluding many communities and silencing those already less heard.
Your voice matters — and it should be heard.
If this goes ahead, it will be the first time since 1974 that the public will be without an independent champion to speak up for their experiences.
The plans also suggest moving to a digital-first feedback system for NHS and social care services. While technology can make giving feedback easier for some, it risks excluding many communities and silencing those already less heard.
Your voice matters — and it should be heard.
Today, we’re asking for your support in signing a national petition that calls on the Government to:
- Reconsider the decision to abolish independent local Healthwatch
- Collaborate with the public to co-design a future service that truly meets people’s needs
- Strengthen—not dismantle—the vital, independent services that give us all a voice
Why Healthwatch Free From Influence Matters
Since 2013, local Healthwatch organisations like ours have been:
- Independent watchdogs, free to challenge local systems honestly and without pressure
- Champions for often unheard voices, ensuring health inequalities aren’t ignored
- Community-driven, built around lived experience—not bureaucracy
- Trusted connectors, linking local people, VCSE groups, health providers, and councils
- Impartial advisors, offering guidance and support—including for those digitally excluded
Losing this independence would mean losing accountability, trust, full stories, and the ability to reach communities who cannot be heard through apps or councils alone.
Sign the Petition
(After signing the petition, check your email and click the confirmation link — otherwise your signature won’t be counted)
Here’s How You Can Make a Difference:
- Sign the petition – it takes less than a minute, and every signature matters
- Share it – with friends, family, and across your social networks
- Tell us your experiences – your stories give force to the case for keeping local Healthwatch independent
Let’s safeguard the independent voice of Healthwatch Herefordshire—because everyone deserves to be heard, fairly and openly.
Sign the petition now! (After signing the petition, please check your email and click the confirmation link — otherwise your signature won’t be counted)
