Liberal Democrats warn NHS reforms risk patient safety

The Liberal Democrats have warned that the proposed NHS Modernisation Bill could trigger a "bonfire of patient safety" by abolishing key oversight bodies. The bill, which reached its second reading in the House of Commons on June 1, 2026, seeks to scrap Healthwatch England and transfer its responsibilities to local authorities and integrated care boards.

Critics argue that moving patient engagement to local authorities removes independent scrutiny, as those bodies may face conflicts of interest when monitoring the services they oversee. Additionally, the bill proposes transferring the functions of the Health Service Safety Investigation Bureau (HSSIB) to the government-run Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Helen Morgan described the reforms as "a catastrophic step backwards" and "the greatest backward step in patient safety in a generation." The party urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to halt the changes, citing historical failures like the Mid Staffordshire and Morecambe Bay investigations as evidence of the necessity for independent, systemic oversight to prevent similar scandals.