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The Liberal Democrats have called on Andy Burnham to halt what they describe as a “bonfire of patient safety” linked to the government’s efforts to reform the NHS. Central to their concerns is the planned abolition of Healthwatch England (HWE), an independent organisation that represents patients’ perspectives regarding their local health and social care services. The NHS Modernisation Bill proposes to dissolve this body, transferring its responsibilities to integrated care boards (ICBs) and local authorities. Critics argue this shift could undermine independent scrutiny, as these bodies would then need to address feedback about services they themselves manage.
In addition to the fate of Healthwatch, the Health Service Safety Investigation Bureau (HSSIB), responsible for investigating patient safety incidents, is also set to be disbanded. Its functions are proposed to be absorbed by the government-run Care Quality Commission (CQC). The Liberal Democrats warn this may jeopardise staff anonymity when raising safety concerns and heighten risks of diminished accountability. Officials from the government contend that these reforms will streamline bureaucracy and bolster patient safety. Further structural changes, such as the abolition of NHS England to centralise services under the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), are also included in the bill.
The Liberal Democrats have expressed deep alarm over the potential consequences of these reforms, evoking the Stafford Hospital scandal as a warning. This historic case, one of the worst in NHS history, involved abuse and neglect that resulted in at least 400 avoidable deaths between 2005 and 2008, according to a Healthcare Commission report. Helen Morgan, the Lib Dem health spokesperson, described the bill as “a catastrophic step backwards” and “the greatest backward step in patient safety in a generation,” urging Andy Burnham to intervene and amend the legislation to safeguard transparency, accountability, and patient welfare.
Meanwhile, the government maintains that the changes will enhance patient voices within the NHS. A DHSC spokesperson insisted that “safe space provisions” protecting whistleblowers remain intact. In January, then-Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended the withdrawal of Healthwatch from its independent status, stating that listening to patients should be a core NHS responsibility rather than outsourced to an arm’s length body. The Liberal Democrats, however, continue to push amendments aimed at reversing these changes and plan to vigorously oppose the bill in the House of Lords. Concerns about the loss of independent, locally rooted advocacy have also been echoed by the Local Government Association, highlighting the risk of reduced accountability and duplicated efforts if Healthwatch is dismantled
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