Healthwatch Lancashire Statement

Please find below a statement on the future of Healthwatch, accompanied by our 2024 - 2025 annual report and future work plan.

We were shocked and saddened to hear the government announcement in the news this weekend that announced changes in future legislation, which will see the closure of both Healthwatch England and the local Healthwatch network.

Healthwatch Lancashire is one of over 150 local Healthwatch organisations affected. These changes will take time to implement, and we await further detail and timelines with the publications of the NHS 10-Year Plan and the Penny Dash Review into Patient Safety due soon. 

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For over a decade, we have worked hard to champion the voice of patients and the public in health and care. We’ve helped people share their experiences, both good and bad, and ensured those voices have led to real change.

We now have serious concerns about whether those voices will continue to be heard and acted on in the same way and look forward to digesting the plans once published. 

Despite limited resources, our small team of staff and volunteers have consistently delivered meaningful, impactful work, engaging with over 95,000 people over the last 10 years. We are incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved, especially over the past year, and our new annual report, published today, shows just how much of a difference we’ve made. 


Some of our highlights from the past year: 

• 9760 experiences of health and care services were listened to 

• 581 people supported with clear signposting to the right services 

• 42 reports published to influence local decision-making 

• 30 Enter and View visits completed 

• Our dedicated volunteers delivered 947 hours of support to help us reach more pople 
  

 We had hoped to launch this year’s report in celebration, to recognise the dedication of our team, our volunteers and most importantly, the people of Lancashire who have trusted us with their experiences. Instead, we are sharing it at a time of uncertainty, as we come to terms with a difficult announcement about our future. 

But even in this moment, there’s still so much to be proud of and to look ahead to.

Alongside our annual report, we are also launching our 2025/26 Workplan, shaped directly by local people, and focused on the areas they’ve told us matter most. 

It’s a clear reminder: This is your voice, in action. Thank you. 

But we want to be clear: We believe every person deserves to have their voice heard, and acted on, when it comes to the health and care they receive. We won’t stop saying that now. For the time being, it’s business as usual. We remain here, listening to you and championing your voice in health and social care across Lancashire.

Read Our 2024 - 2025 Annual Report
View Our 2025 - 2026 Workplan