Healthwatch Wandsworth Faces Uncertain Future Amidst Government Abolition Plans
Healthwatch Wandsworth, the independent champion for local voices in health and social care, is facing an uncertain future as the government plans to abolish the organisation through the Health Bill currently progressing through Parliament. The legislation proposes the abolition of Healthwatch, with the government aiming for Royal Assent by the end of the year, which could lead to the organisation's end by April 2027. The Bill, however, provides little detail on how Healthwatch's functions will be delivered in the future, and guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care is still awaited.
At an informal meeting of the Wandsworth Health and Wellbeing Board on Thursday, 17 September 2026, Stephen Hickey, Chair of Healthwatch Wandsworth, presented the organisation's annual report for 2025-26. The report highlighted significant achievements, including nearly 1,300 people sharing their experiences of health and social care services, leading to improvements in areas such as hospital patient advice services, mental health ward environments, and support for specific community groups.
However, the impending abolition of Healthwatch has cast a shadow over these successes. The real issue is about independent patient voice,
stated Mr. Hickey, because the basic core proposition is that this work should be brought in-house to the council and to the ICB, which is a good thing in some ways, but loses independence. And that matters objectively, but also actually to patients themselves, because speaking, you know, to an independent body is different from speaking to the people who actually deliver the service that you wish to talk about.
The government's proposal is that patient and public engagement should be strengthened and delivered directly by the NHS and local authorities, rather than through independent organisations like Healthwatch. However, the specific details of these alternative mechanisms are not yet defined.
The Health Bill currently lacks detail on how Healthwatch's functions will be delivered in the future, leaving councils and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in a difficult position. While the government has indicated that funding may continue for a transitional period, the lack of clear steer has led to varied responses across the country. Some areas, like Richmond, are planning to close their Healthwatch organisations in March, while others are beginning discussions about future models for independent patient voice. The exact nature of this transitional funding and its specific criteria are not detailed, though it is understood that funding would continue for the duration of such a period if implemented. The factors driving the varied responses are not explicitly stated, but the uncertainty surrounding the future legislation and the late stage of the process are noted as contributing factors.
Mr. Hickey expressed concern about a potential brain drain
of valuable knowledge and skills from Healthwatch Wandsworth, which is delivered by Wandsworth Care Alliance (WCA). The WCA is keen for the experience, skills, and core staff and volunteer team of Healthwatch Wandsworth not to be dispersed. They are committed to enhancing the community's voice and are keen to support a future model for patient and public voice in Wandsworth, building on their existing knowledge, skills, and experience. They are also seeking funding and new collaborations to contribute to future work with patients and communities.
The Health and Wellbeing Board was asked to consider how to promote and monitor actions arising from Healthwatch's recommendations, plan for future patient and service user engagement, and support an independent public voice in health and social care moving forward. Councillor Stephen Worrall noted the difficulty in discussing the issue due to the series of unknowns
but emphasised the need for an independent patient voice, stating, You can't criticize yourself if something gets operated from the inside. You need that independence.
The abolition of Healthwatch and the move towards 'in-house' models managed by the council and ICB could lead to a loss of independence for the patient voice, with a concern that this loss matters objectively and to patients themselves. There is a risk of the thing just falling apart
if discussions around future options are not actively pursued.
Jeremy DeSouza, Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Public Health, acknowledged the importance of Healthwatch's work and the difficult circumstances. He noted that while government funding may be referenced, it has been rolled into the council's main grant, and there is no identified source of funding for future independent patient voice functions. Mark Creelman, Executive Director of Place for Merton and Wandsworth, SWL ICB, added that conversations have started at both borough and South West London ICB levels to explore options and ensure a joined-up approach that meets the need for an independent voice.
The Health Bill's Commons Committee stage is complete, and the Bill will return for debate in the House of Commons in September before proceeding to the Lords. The government hopes to achieve Royal Assent by the end of the year. There are mentions of ministers potentially having cold feet
and talking about reviewing their decision, which suggests a possibility of amendments, but this is not confirmed.
With the Healthwatch contract set to end in March 2027, the future of independent patient representation in Wandsworth remains a critical concern for the Health and Wellbeing Board and its partners. The full details of the annual report can be found in the Public reports pack 17th Sep 2026 Health and Wellbeing Board.
