Outlines the proposed legislative changes in the upcoming Health Bill to the way patient and public voice is listened to and acted upon within the health and care system.

Applies to England

Documents

Health Bill: patient voice - fact sheet

Details

The Health Bill is supporting 2 overarching aims:

improve patient safety and experience through a new single patient record (SPR), enabling joined-up, proactive care and empowering patients

put power and resources in the hands of NHS organisations providing direct patient care by abolishing NHS England and stripping back national bureaucracy

See the Health Bill collection page for the bill’s other supporting documents:

equality impact assessments

Updates to this page

12 November 2026 Updated the fact sheet to reflect that Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch will not be abolished under the Health Bill. Added information on a new national quality framework for local Healthwatch and clarified the role of the Department of Health and Social Care’s patient experience directorate.

Updated the fact sheet to reflect that Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch will not be abolished under the Health Bill. Added information on a new national quality framework for local Healthwatch and clarified the role of the Department of Health and Social Care’s patient experience directorate.

19 May 2026 First published.

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