Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he will take to ensure that patients have access to independent statutory mechanisms for raising concerns about health and care services following the proposed abolition of local Healthwatch organisations.

The report by Dr Penny Dash, published in July, recommended bringing together the work of local Healthwatch organisations, and the engagement functions of integrated care boards (ICBs) and providers, to ensure patient and wider community input into the planning and design of services. The recommendations in the report were accepted, in full, by the Government.

The abolition of local Healthwatch arrangements, and the transfer of their functions to ICBs and local authorities will require primary legislation. The timing of this is subject to the will of Parliament and will happen when Parliamentary time allows.