Sign the national petition 📢
Thank you to everyone who has contacted us with messages of support. We have been truly overwhelmed by the response to the news that as part of the NHS 10 Year Plan Healthwatch is set to be abolished.
So many of you have told us how concerned you are that there will no longer be a local, independent voice representing and supporting patients and people who draw on social care, their families, and carers.
We want to reassure you that, even though the Healthwatch name will go, we are all committed to doing the very best we can for our communities and underrepresented groups, now, and in the future.
Protect the independent public voice
The 10-year Health Plan acknowledges that "there needs to be a greater emphasis placed on the patient voice". In the Review of patient safety led by Dr Penny Dash, Healthwatch is described as follows: "Since 2013, Healthwatch has made a significant impact, aiding over a million people annually to voice their concerns and access advice."
We are aware that a national petition has been created asking the government to:
- Invest in and strengthen independent public voice.
- Engage with local Healthwatch leaders and the public to co-design a future that puts people first.
- Recognise the role independent voice can play in supporting with the delivery of the NHS 10 Year Plan - by providing constructive challenge and supporting co-production, particularly with those communities facing the greatest health and care needs.
If this matters to you, please feel free to sign and share the petition with your communities. People must have a say in the future of health and care, and we believe that voice must be independent.
Thank you again for supporting us.
How to sign the petition
The petition can be found by clicking the button above or by visiting https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732993/.
Once you are in the Petitions website, click Sign this petition and enter your name, email address, and post code.
You will then be sent an email with a confirmation link which you need to click to validate your signature. Check your junk folder if this doesn’t arrive in your inbox. Once the link is clicked, your signature will be added to the petition.
You can only sign if you are a UK Citizen or resident, and you can only sign the petition once.
If you have any questions, please get in touch at info@healthwatchlambeth.org.uk or 020 7274 8522.
Other steps
Here are other things you can do to have your voice heard.
Share the petition – feel free to share the petition with your friends, family, and communities. Feel free to use the following text.
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Protect independent voice in health and care 📢
Sign the national petition calling on the government to review the decision to abolish independent services that speak up for the public. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732993/
Write to your MP – we have created a template for anyone who wants to raise their concerns with their MP. Feel free to edit it as you wish.
