Healthwatch Lincolnshire—or Healthwatch Lincs—faces an uncertain future following the UK government’s June 2025 announcement to abolish Healthwatch England and potentially absorb its local functions into NHS or local authority control. Yet, as things stand, Healthwatch Lincs. remains operational and committed to serving the people of Lincolnshire.

A Vital Independent Voice

Established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, Healthwatch functions as a statutory, independent watchdog designed to amplify public voices in health and social care. It gathers feedback, conducts “Enter and View” visits, leads research and surveys, and provides impartial signposting and guidance. 

Since the announcement of its impending abolition, Healthwatch Lincs. has assured Lincolnshire residents: “It’s business as usual”—citing that its legislative foundation remains unchanged and its independence intact.

Working Hand in Glove with Local Leaders

Despite its independent mandate, Healthwatch Lincs. maintains excellent collaborative relationships with major local health and care organisations:

  • With Lincolnshire ICB (Integrated Care Board), Healthwatch gathers and conveys patient feedback to inform the ICB’s commissioning decisions. It supports surveys and public consultations essential to planning future services.
  • With Lincolnshire County Council: Through the Health and Wellbeing Board and Integrated Care Partnership, Healthwatch contributes directly to county-wide strategies—sharing insights that help shape joint planning, health inequality reduction, and public health priorities 
  • With District Councils across Lincolnshire, Healthwatch’s collaborations extend further via Health and Wellbeing arrangements, backed by coordination through ICB efforts, to ensure all seven district councils and communities have representation in health planning 

Why the Threat Matters

Healthwatch’s independence is its strength—allowing it to speak truth to power, hold systems accountable, and represent individuals who might otherwise go unheard. The organisation underscores that public trust and service improvement hinge on this impartiality.

An open letter co-signed by Healthwatch Lincs. and more than 130 local Healthwatch groups warns that integrating public voice functions into NHS or council structures could “filter feedback, soften inconvenient truths, and dilute accountability” 

Standing Firm for Public Voice

In its recent open letter, Healthwatch Lincs. reaffirms the importance of keeping an independent public voice alive in Lincolnshire. It calls for parliamentary debate, urging that any reforms must preserve—not undermine—the ability of local people, especially vulnerable groups, to be heard.

It continues with its established work: amplifying patient experiences, influencing ICB planning, and ensuring local voices remain central to shaping health and care services.

Why It Matters to Lincolnshire

  1. Independent accountability: Healthwatch uniquely holds the system to account—not beholden to providers or councils.
  2. Public transparency: It collects and shares real experiences from real people, ensuring policymaking is grounded in lived reality.
  3. Accessible advocacy: For isolated or vulnerable residents, Healthwatch is often the first port of call—trusted to listen and act.
  4. Evidence-based service design: Its surveys, quality visits, and reports inform ICB decisions and council strategies, making services more responsive.

Lincolnshire’s health and care system needs a champion that bridges public experience with decision-making—without bias. Healthwatch Lincs. has long played that role effectively through its strong partnerships with Lincolnshire County Council, the ICB, and district-level bodies.

Preserving Healthwatch’s independence isn’t just about protecting an organisation—it’s about safeguarding a trusted pathway for the people of Lincolnshire to shape their health and social care future.

Please sign the petition: https://www.healthwatchlincolnshire.co.uk/news/2025-08-14/sign-and-share-save-independent-voice

Cllr Sue Woolley

Shadow Executive NHS