Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced last Friday, 28th June 2025, that the government plans to abolish Healthwatch England and all 150 local Healthwatch organisations across England as part of a broader “bonfire of NHS quangos.”
This is part of a larger plan to scrap 201 NHS organisations and bodies, with combined budgets of more than £250 million annually.
Government’s rationale
Wes Streeting said the current system was “too complex” and the NHS needed “more doers and fewer checkers.”
In his announcement, Mr Streeting stated,
“We are putting a megaphone to the mouths of patients so the NHS listens to them, and responds.”
Replacement plans
It has been suggested that following the closure of Healthwatch, their statutory functions will transfer to the Department of Health and Social Care.
Some functions will move to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and, for social care, to local councils.
Instead of Healthwatch services, patients will be encouraged to leave feedback on the NHS app using a star rating system.
Concerns raised by local organisations
OnTheWight contacted Isle of Wight Healthwatch for a response to the news, but they were unable to comment at the time, waiting instead for the official notice with more info to be released this week.
MPs’ comments
We also got in touch with both MPs to hear their thoughts on the proposals.
Labour MP for Isle of Wight West, Richard Quigley, told OnTheWight,
“For too long, the NHS has been held back by unnecessary bureaucracy, and I welcome the government’s decision to address this head-on.
“I’ve been assured that patient feedback will remain central to the new system, and it’s vital that the work Healthwatch have done is strengthened not pushed aside. Proper checks and balances are essential to a well-functioning NHS.”
Conservative MP for Isle of Wight East, Joe Robertson, told OnTheWight,
“I find it unfathomable that the Government would want to abolish Healthwatch which is an independent voice for patients and a force for good.
“I have seen time and again how Isle of Wight Healthwatch have held the Council, NHS Trust, ICB and other health providers to account by speaking to patients, gathering data and shining a light on services which should be doing better. Most recently, they have provided data and evidence to help me build a case against the Hampshire Integrated Care Board’s attempt to defund our Mountbatten Hospice in the sum of £1.4 million.
“I am also concerned to read that the Isle of Wight Council may lose its seat on the Integrated Care Board and will be replaced by the combined Hampshire and Solent Mayor.
“This would diminish the democratic accountability of the ICB to Island residents which it is supposed to serve. Slowly, over time, the Island is being pushed aside in repeated mergers with Hampshire services and bodies.”
Loss of independence
Healthwatch Cornwall’s CEO Debbie Gilbert said,
“The patient voice can only be meaningful if it is independent of the system – not embedded within it.
“Independence has always been at the heart of Healthwatch’s role, and these proposals put that at serious risk.”
Digital exclusion
Healthwatch Milton Keynes warned that “replacing patient conversations with star ratings will not keep patients safe” and raised concerns about digital exclusion:
“For those who have access to smartphones and tablets, digital apps are a useful tool but they are not a solution in themselves. And what about those who are digitally excluded?”
Historical context
Organisations are urging the government to remember,
“… the widespread systemic failures – notably the mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust scandal – that led to the creation of Healthwatch in the first place. The national inquiry that followed in 2012 is a clear reminder that when patients have no voice, when services aren’t held accountable, and when there is no robust, independent scrutiny of those services, patient safety and quality of care will undoubtedly suffer.”
Operational Impact
Louise Ansari, Chief Executive at Healthwatch England, said,
“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.”
Local organisations report hearing
“… from hundreds of residents every month, using that feedback to raise concerns and influence change across vital areas like mental health services, dentistry access, social care and hospital discharge.”
Support from partner organisations
The Helplines Partnership stated they “stand with Healthwatch organisations up and down the country” and warned that “without them, we feel the patient voice will be lost” and that vulnerable people would be particularly affected.
The changes represent a significant shift from independent patient advocacy to a system where patient feedback is managed directly within government departments and NHS structures, raising concerns about accountability and the ability to challenge systemic failures effectively.
Article edit
12.07pm 4th Jul 2025 – JR comment added
12.21pm 7th Jul 2025 – RQ comment added (received 1st July but missed, so added now)
