Ben Maguire Warns Healthwatch Cuts Could Silence Cornwall Patients

The North Cornwall MP who used a Freedom of Information request to expose a £1.2 million dentistry underspend at Cornwall’s NHS says patients are about to lose something just as valuable. The independent body that scrutinises local health services is being scrapped, and he warns there is nothing lined up to take its place.

Ben Maguire, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, has criticised Government plans to abolish Healthwatch, the independent body that gives patients and the public a voice within the NHS.

What the Government plans to do

His comments follow the announcement that the Government will bring forward legislation to scrap Healthwatch organisations across the country. Ben Maguire has previously praised the work of Healthwatch Cornwall, which he describes as a “critical friend” to healthcare providers across the Duchy.

Healthwatch Cornwall has produced influential reports on the shortage of NHS dentistry, mental health provision, and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on health and care services. The aim of that work is to identify shortcomings, amplify patient experiences, and help improve healthcare outcomes across Cornwall.

The letter to the Health Secretary

Ben Maguire has jointly written with Cornwall Council to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, urging the Government to pause the legislation until a replacement is identified. He has also joined Liberal Democrat colleagues in Parliament calling for an “urgent rethink”.

He warned that abolishing Healthwatch risks leaving hard-to-reach communities without an effective way of making their voices heard. His party has argued that people who already distrust public authorities or the NHS may be less likely to engage with systems overseen directly by healthcare providers. That, they say, makes it harder to identify concerns and tackle inequalities.

‘Marking their own homework’

Commenting on the plans, Ben Maguire said:

“Healthwatch helps signpost patients to the services they need. But, more importantly, it is an independent statutory body that shines a light on problems that need addressing and gives patients a much-needed voice in driving improvements to local healthcare services.

“My recent FOI identified a huge dentistry underspend of £1.2 million by Cornwall’s ICB. This is the sort of scrutiny we need from an independent body.

“The Government appears to be moving towards a system where healthcare providers monitor their own services. That would amount to marking their own homework. The NHS must remain accountable. Services should be challenged where standards are not being met, and patients must continue to have an independent voice speaking up on their behalf.”