Oral Answers to Questions

Munira Wilson Excerpts

Tuesday 9th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Steve Darling (Torbay) (LD)]

8. If he will make it his policy to retain Healthwatch.

[Munira Wilson (Twickenham) (LD)]

20. If he will make it his policy to retain Healthwatch.

--- Later in debate ---

[Karin Smyth]

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point about the variety of needs that local commissioners need to take account of. That is exactly what the Health Bill will try to do, not by outsourcing that role to an outside body but by putting those views at the heart of what all commissioners do, which includes making sure that under-represented or often unheard voices do have a voice.

[Munira Wilson]

When Boots decided to close two pharmacies in Hampton, leaving a large number of elderly and vulnerable residents without local pharmacy provision, Healthwatch Richmond played a crucial role in ensuring that we got a new community pharmacy in the area. That locally led patient voice cannot be replaced by officials in Whitehall or our local ICB, which is about to suffer cuts of over 50% in its operating budget. If the Minister is really serious about championing patients, will she think again?

[Karin Smyth]

The hon. Lady raises an interesting example of somewhere where local commissioners have failed to provide a service or recognise when a service disappears. They can do that by using very different voices, rather than outsourcing that responsibility. Through the Health Bill, we have to make sure that commissioners do their job properly, which includes taking account of patient voice at a very local level.