Update on the progress of Healthwatch

The Government has given an update on the progress of Healthwatch in its formal response to the NHS Future Forum report.

Both Healthwatch England and Local Healthwatch will now be established from October 2012. This will give Local Healthwatch the opportunity to play a full role in clinical commissioning groups and health and wellbeing boards when they are set up.

Local authorities and Local Healthwatch will take formal responsibility for commissioning NHS complaints advocacy from April 2013.