As part of the upcoming NHS 10 Year Plan Healthwatch England is to be abolished.

It is understood that local Healthwatch CEOs and Chairs were contacted on Friday 27^th June 2025.

The Healthwatch England Team have issued a response on LinkedIn, which recognises the enormous value of the work undertaken by  staff and volunteers over the past 12 years.

VIN understands that around 150 local Healthwatch branches will also be closed, with functions expected to move to ICBs and Local Authorities.

For hard pressed Infrastructure organisations that have diversified into this arena to stave off disinvestment, its a bitter blow.

The VIN CEO states:

I am deeply concerned over the potential risk of losing the  independence, local presence, and statutory footing that have made Healthwatch effective. Without its statutory footing, we fear this function could be defunded or deprioritised, weakening the power and agency of communities to influence the systems that serve them. 

Return to our What’s New section to find out how this story develops over the coming months.