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The Care Quality Commission checks whether hospitals, care homes and care services are meeting government standards. Visit our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Hospitals

Care homes

Dentists

Care in your home

Other services

Healthwatch

Healthwatch is a new independent consumer champion created to gather and represent the views of the public.

Healthwatch will play a role at both national and local level.

Healthwatch will play a role at both national and local level and will make sure that the views of the public and people who use services are taken into account.

Healthwatch England

Healthwatch England, launching in October 2012, will work with local Healthwatch and will also:

  • advise the NHS Commissioning Board, English local authorities, Monitor and the Secretary of State.
  • have the power to recommend that action is taken by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) when there are concerns about health and social care services.

Local Healthwatch

Find out How CQC works with LINks and other groups.

Local Healthwatch, launching in April 2013, will take on the work of the Local Involvement Networks (LINks) and will also:

  • represent the views of people who use services, carers and the public on the Health and Wellbeing boards set up by local authorities.
  • provide a complaints advocacy service from 2013 to support people who make a complaint about services.
  • report concerns about the quality of health care to Healthwatch England, which can then recommend that the CQC take action.

Download the transition plan below to find out more about local Healthwatch.

The Healthwatch programme board and advisory group

The programme board and advisory group were created to establish the Healthwatch programme before its launch.

Programme board meetings

The programme board will ensure stakeholder engagement and involvement in the development of Healthwatch. It will also help to ensure readiness for both local Healthwatch and Healthwatch England.

Advisory group meetings

The advisory group will provide expert, practical advice and make recommendations to the programme board about implementation of the Government’s proposals for Healthwatch.

Healthwatch programme board and advisory group

All of the the minutes of the meetings held for the Healthwatch programme board and advisory group are available for download.