Petition Launched as Healthwatch North Yorkshire Could be Abolished

Healthwatch North Yorkshire, along with over 150 local Healthwatch organisations across England, is facing potential abolition under government proposals, prompting the launch of a national petition to protect its independent voice.

The move, part of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan for England and recommendations from a review of patient safety, proposes transferring Healthwatch England’s responsibilities to the Department of Health and Social Care, while local Healthwatch functions would move into local councils and NHS integrated care boards.

Healthwatch organisations were established in 2013 through the Health and Social Care Act 2012, in the wake of serious NHS failures such as the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public scandal, with the aim of giving people a stronger voice in shaping health and social care services. Healthwatch North Yorkshire serves to listen to people's experiences of health and social care, particularly those who might not always feel heard, and supports residents in finding information and advice. While not handling complaints directly, they help people navigate options and get responses when they feel they've not had the best one.

Craig Derrick, Communications Manager at Healthwatch North Yorkshire, voiced significant concerns about the implications of these changes.

"As part of that they're wanting to scrap Health Watch England and to abolish all local Health Watch across England. And there's over 150 of us.

And the intention is to fold the roles of Health Watch into the local councils, we don't know what that's gonna look like at the moment, which is obviously a big worry, but in a nutshell, it is gonna risk the independent voice and that we've worked so hard to, to champion where we represent people's health and care needs.

And in August we've launched a national petition to ask for the government to pause and rethink this plan. 'cause we really think it's important that Health Watch stays.

We want to keep, patient voices wants to keep them champion and they want to keep independent. And to keep these community-based health watch organizations alive. "

The proposed changes would mean the "end of 152 independent Healthwatch organisations across England, including Healthwatch North Yorkshire". Critics argue that transferring the task of listening to patients to the very services being reviewed risks the feedback process becoming a case of "marking their own homework" which is feared could lead to uncomfortable truths being ignored and a loss of the chance to drive real change.

Craig says that many people are only willing to share honest experiences when they know their voice is safe and won't affect their care. 

"We're here to listen to people's experiences of health and social care. And especially those people who might not always feel heard or part of a conversation or able to have their say.

So we're not here to give medical advice or handle complaints, but we are here to support people as well if they need to find some information or advice, so that might be they're after some support for dementia for their elderly father, they're looking for a care home for their elderly mother, or they're looking for some help with getting an A-D-H-D diagnosis for their young son.

So we're here to help people find that information, advice, so they know that there are options out there and they can make the best decisions.

And often people come to Healthwatch as well when they feel of not always had the best response or a response at all. So that might be a complaint, for example. And whilst we don't handle those complaints, we can try help people get, get a response. If they do feel like they've explored all options.

So we've built up that trust in the community and with the people who know us as trusted place to come for information, advice.

And if Health Watch. Does go as, as the plans are suggesting  our functions would be transferred to the council and the local integrated care boards. But we don't know what that looks like at the moment.

There's no suggestion that it's gonna be taking on our staff and volunteers. As we understand there isn't gonna be extra funding or staffing for this and we are aware that the local NHS and local councils are ready facing cutbacks themselves. So it's obviously a massive worry, not only just for Health Watch, but  for the NHS and the council and the public generally." 

In North Yorkshire, Healthwatch says it's independent status has enabled it to make a significant impact. The organisations recent projects have included:

• Highlighted the challenges of rural healthcare access, including for farmers, identifying barriers such as travel distances and limited public transport.
• Pushed for better postnatal care experiences for new mothers at home and in the community, leading to "some really good changes".
• Worked on mental health experiences, contributing to the introduction of 45 mental health practitioners into GP practices.
• Addressed accessible information in GP practices, hospitals, and social care settings for individuals facing language or digital barriers.

These achievements, Healthwatch North Yorkshire states, demonstrate how community concerns have been turned into improvements. The organisation fears that with the proposed changes, this unique angle and the trust built will be lost.

Craig says that Healthwatch North Yorkshire is urging the public to support the national petition to protect the independent patient voice.

"We want the government to revisit its decision to abolish the Independent Health Watch service that speaks up for the public.

We want the government to consult with the public to actually design a service that meets the needs and supports the NHS and social care to improve, so we want more funding if anything,

So what  we want the public to do is to sign the petition. If we get 10,000 signatures, we will get an official response from Parliament, but even better and what we want is the a hundred thousand signatures, which will trigger a full parliamentary debate.

We want to work with the local NHS and local councils and the government to come up with a more concrete solution and something that's not gonna lose the independence of Healthwatch and silence that independent voice. "

For now, Healthwatch North Yorkshire continues its operations, listening to experiences and assisting residents in finding information and advice. 

The organisation is encouraging local residents to sign the petition at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732993 saying:

"Adding your signature to the petition shows the strength of public support for keeping a strong and independent voice in health and social care."