Yvette Cooper reverses decision to abolish Healthwatch England

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced that Healthwatch England and its 150 local branches will be retained and strengthened, reversing previous plans to abolish the patient watchdog. The decision follows opposition from members of parliament, nursing unions, and health think tanks who argued that eliminating the independent body would remove vital accountability mechanisms for the NHS.

Previously, the government intended to transfer Healthwatch’s functions to local councils and NHS integrated care boards as part of the UK Health Bill. Under the new plan, the organization will have expanded responsibilities to identify recurring patient concerns and highlight issues regarding service quality, safety, and patient experience.

This reversal is one of several recent policy shifts regarding the health bill. Other recent changes include the decision to retain the Health Services Safety Investigations Body and ending plans to remove council representation on integrated care boards.