Published 30th June 2025

Responding to the announcement of the closure of Healthwatch England, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, Rachel Power, said:

"We are deeply saddened by the Government’s decision to close Healthwatch England and its network of local Healthwatch organisations. 

"We have worked closely with Healthwatch on many critical issues, and its insight and collaboration has been invaluable in championing our goal of patient partnership at every level of the system. 

"We await the publication of the Dash review to understand the rationale behind this decision and other changes. At this time, we are concerned about the impact this decision will have on staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to advocate for patients over the last decade. 

"Local, independent and trusted patient organisations are not easily replaced. As the Government looks to reshape the health and care landscape, it must ensure that genuine patient partnership is enhanced, not lost, in the process. The voices of patients must remain at the heart of the journey towards a fairer, safer, and more responsive NHS."

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