Dash review on the future of Healthwatch is published
We’re committed to ensuring that the voices of our residents, particularly those who are least heard, continue to be represented independently in the planning and delivery of local health and care services.
Yesterday, the Government published the Dash review. This was a review, led by Dr Penny Dash, into patient safety across the whole health and social care landscape. The recommendations put forward in the review about Healthwatch will have a profound effect on our organisation's future direction. The review recommends:
- Transferring the functions of Healthwatch England to the Department of Health
- Transferring the functions of local Healthwatch into Integrated Care Boards and local authorities.
The Government has said that it accepts the recommendations and will pass legislation to enable it when time allows. The Department of Health and Social Care still needs to clarify when and how any transfer of Healthwatch functions will occur.
In the meantime, we will continue to gather, analyse, and communicate people's care experiences and provide advice and information.
Responding to the announcement, our chief executive, Laura Saksena, said
"Healthwatch Islington are preparing for upcoming change whilst continuing with business as usual. In the coming weeks, we will be starting to explore what a sustainable model could look like for our organisation beyond the current Healthwatch framework.
"We’re committed to ensuring that the voices of our residents — particularly those who are least heard — continue to be represented independently in the planning and delivery of local health and care services. We’ll keep our community informed as plans develop, and we thank everyone for their continued support and trust in our work."
