Our impact in Norfolk has been revealed in this year’s Annual Report, as the future of the Healthwatch network continues to be debated.
More than 10,300 people shared their experiences of health and social care with us in 2025-26, almost double the number in 2024-25, when 5,299 people provided us with feedback. 237 people came to us for clear advice and information on topics such as how to raise a concern, how to find relevant healthcare services and accessing an NHS dentist. This is a further increase on the 197 people we supported the previous year.
We also published 96 reports detailing patient feedback from GP surgeries and hospital departments across the county, as well as our project work reviewing health services and highlighting the improvements and changes people would like to see.
Importance of independent patient voice
The publication of this year’s annual report comes as the NHS Modernisation Bill reaches the Committee Stage in the House of Commons, where it will be scrutinised and debated. The Bill proposes the dismantling of the Healthwatch network, with the functions of all 153 local Healthwatch being absorbed into Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and local authorities.
You can read more about the NHS Modernisation Bill and our concerns about the lack of a suitable alternative for the Healthwatch network here.
Voices in support of Healthwatch have been growing in recent months, as fears about the consequences of the loss of independent patient voice increase.
The King’s Fund, in an independent national review of the Healthwatch model published in March 2026, found that any future arrangement must maintain independence from the health and care system so it can “speak truth to power and raise difficult messages where necessary.” The Local Government Association has also spoken out recently, saying that disbanding Healthwatch could create a “fragmented system” which would undermine accountability.
Reaction
Alex Stewart, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Norfolk, said: “This year’s Annual Report once again highlights the vital work carried out by Healthwatch in championing patient voice and providing the public with the support they need with their health and social care choices.
“Last year the number of people who shared their feedback with us and reached out to us for guidance was almost double that of 2024-25. This level of engagement with the public at a time of huge change within the NHS underscores the level of trust in us and the importance of protecting independent patient voice going forward”.
Making a difference in your community
Outlined in our Annual Report are examples of the ways in which we have brought people’s experiences to healthcare professionals and decision-makers and ensured their voices are heard, including:
- Marginalised voices were involved in a major decision about local health services, after a consultation into proposed changes to out-of-hours GP services, the Norwich Walk-in Centre and the Vulnerable Adults Service (VAS) Health Inclusion Hub began. We urged the ICB to create a dedicated survey for VAS users, enabling people experiencing social exclusion and homelessness, to share their views.
- We worked with a local charity to make sure the views of people with learning disabilities around safeguarding practices were heard by local decision-makers. By amplifying these insights, we helped ensure that barriers identified by a small group informed wider improvements, including clearer information, better support, and more accessible reporting systems.
- Health leaders have received insight into the impact of a digital NHS, after we explored patient and professional perspectives of digital tools in care. Our research into experiences of the NHS App and the Shared Care Record has highlighted the need for clearer communication and practical support, particularly for people with limited access to, or confidence using, technology.
- We’ve raised awareness of the healthcare barriers facing the LGBTQIA+ community, with people telling us us they regularly face incorrect assumptions about their sexual orientation and gender identity and many noting their preferred pronouns were not respected.
- Carers of people with Serious Mental Illness will now be better recognised and supported after we highlighted their experiences. Our input has informed the the creation of a new Carers’ Charter, which outlines how staff should work alongside carers to support their emotional and practical needs and ensure they are involved in the decision-making processes relating to their loved one’s care.
You can read the Healthwatch Norfolk 2025-26 Annual Report here.