HEALTHWATCH Cornwall is hitting back after the government revealed plans to abolish Healthwatch England.

At the end of June, the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed its intention to wind down Healthwatch England and all local Healthwatch services. This forms part of a ten-year plan aimed at reducing NHS administrative costs and reshaping how national and local services are overseen.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the current system was too complex and the NHS needed "more doers and fewer checkers".

Following the announcement, Healthwatch Cornwall pleaded with the government to not destroy its independent voice, and as an independent statutory watchdog for health and social care, Healthwatch Cornwall has expressed its deep concern at the proposal.

CEO Debbie Gilbert said: “The patient voice can only be meaningful if it is independent of the system – not embedded within it. Independence has always been at the heart of Healthwatch’s role, and these proposals put that at serious risk.”

Now, the organisation has joined 130 local Healthwatch services across England in signing a powerful open letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, urging the government to reconsider proposals that would bring public voice functions under the control of local authorities and NHS bodies.

The letter - representing 86 per cent of the national network - warns that the proposed changes would seriously compromise the independence that makes public feedback effective and trusted.

The signatories are calling for a meeting with the Secretary of State and are urging the government to strengthen independent public voice initiatives.

“Healthwatch Cornwall is still here, still active, and still independent,” said Healthwatch Cornwall CEO Debbie Gilbert.

“We’re a statutory part of the Care Act 2014 and until that changes, we remain the only independent voice for people using health and care services in Cornwall.

“We also help relieve pressure on the system by signposting people to the right care and supporting them through complex services.

“As a Cornish woman, I’ve grown up with a deep appreciation for what makes Cornwall special, our sense of place, our strong ties to land, heritage, and family.

“People feel a genuine connection to Cornwall, not just because of the scenery, but because of the strength of tradition, the resilience of our communities, and our way of life.

“But Cornwall isn’t just picturesque - we’re made up of dispersed towns, coastal villages, and rural areas where infrastructure can be fragile.

“Decisions made at national level often don’t reflect the lived realities of our population, from digital exclusion to transport gaps and the challenges of accessing services across such a vast geography.

“That’s why Healthwatch Cornwall is vital. We understand the nuance. We live it. We speak to people every day who need care but feel disconnected from systems designed elsewhere.

“If Healthwatch goes, who speaks up for the people in St Just, on the Lizard, in Bude? We are that voice. Independent, embedded, and accountable only to the people of Cornwall.

“Remove Healthwatch, and you remove the only watchdog the public has – a silence that should worry everyone.”