Healthwatch England, the new national, statutory consumer champion for health and social care in England, was launched yesterday.

A key milestone in achieving the government’s vision set out in the White Paper ‘Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS’, Healthwatch England exists to ensure the public’s voice is heard at the national level.

Health Minister, Norman Lamb said:

“I’m pleased to welcome the launch of Healthwatch England today -England’s new national consumer champion for health and care services. 

“We want to put people at the heart of our health and care services and Healthwatch England will play a vital part in these plans. It will make sure that people have a stronger voice and greater influence, through the experiences they share about their care, to drive improvements.”

Chair Anna Bradley said:

“Our job is to argue for what is in the interest of those who use services. Health and social care can be a complex world to understand, however our starting point is simple: it’s about people – their experiences, and needs.

“We will actively seek views from all sections of the community to build a national picture of what matter most to local people and make sure their views and experiences are really listened to, analysed and acted upon. Better health and social care services has to be the result.”