What the NHS Modernisation Bill means for people in Nottingham
What has happened this week?
On Wednesday 13 May, the King's Speech confirmed that the Government plans to introduce an NHS Modernisation Bill. The full text of the Bill has now been published, and it includes plans to abolish local Healthwatch organisations, including Healthwatch Nottingham & Nottinghamshire and Healthwatch England.
We have been the independent voice for people in Nottingham & Nottinghamshire for over a decade, and we remain deeply concerned about what these proposals could mean for communities across our city.
But we also want you to know nothing changes today. The Bill still must pass through Parliament. That process takes time, and things can still change along the way.
What does Healthwatch Nottingham & Nottinghamshire actually do?
We are here for the people of Nottingham & Nottinghamshire. Our job is to listen to your experiences of health and care (whether good, bad, or somewhere in between) and make sure those experiences reach the people with the power to make things better.
We are independent. That means we do not work for the NHS, the council, or the Government. We work for you.
People come to us when:
- They cannot get a GP or dentist appointment
- Something has gone wrong with their care
- They are not sure where to turn for help
- They feel they have not been listened to
- They want to share what has worked well
We work across communities in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, meeting people in places that are familiar and easy to access, including community centres, libraries, local events and neighbourhood groups.
We listen to people whose voices are not always heard in decisions about health and social care, including older people, young people, disabled people, carers, people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and people who are digitally excluded.
What people share with us shapes our reports, influences our conversations with NHS Trusts, local councils and the Integrated Care Board, and helps drive improvements in health and care services across the area.
So, what does the Bill propose?
The Bill proposes to remove the legal basis for local Healthwatch organisations entirely.
Under the current proposals:
Under the proposals, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board would collect feedback about NHS services, while local councils would gather feedback about social care.
We have serious concerns about this approach. When organisations responsible for providing services are also responsible for collecting feedback about those services, there is a risk that independence is lost. People may feel less confident speaking openly about their experiences, particularly when raising concerns about care. Independent challenge helps ensure people can share honest feedback safely.
We are also worried about who could be left out. Digital-only feedback systems do not work for everyone and often miss people who are digitally excluded, need independent support, or do not feel comfortable raising concerns directly with providers.
Across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, this includes disabled people, carers, migrants, people from diverse communities, and people who do not speak English as a first language. Without an independent organisation to listen to them, there is a risk that these voices will not be heard
Why does independence matter so much?
Healthwatch was created in 2012, following the Mid-Staffordshire NHS scandal. It was created specifically because the health system needed an independent watchdog, someone outside the system who could hear what was really going on and speak up without fear or favour.
When people share their experiences with us, they do so because they trust us to be genuinely independent. That trust is hard-won and easily lost.
If feedback moves in-house to the very organisations providing care, we believe that trust will be damaged and the voices of people in Nottingham & Nottinghamshire will be quieter as a result.
What the evidenece says
We are not the only ones making this case. There is strong, independent evidenece that local Healthwatch organisations make a real difference and that independence is the key ingredient.
The King's Fund report
In March 2026, The King's Fund published an independent review of the Healthwatch model across England, commissioned jointly with Healthwatch England. The report looked at what has worked well, what challenges the model has faced, and what a future people's voice organisation should look like.
Its central finding was clear: any future model must strengthen, not weaken, the health and care system's ability to hear and respond to people's experiences. Crucially, it said that whatever replaces Healthwatch must maintain independence from the health and care system, so that it can speak truth to power and raise difficult messages where necessary.
That is exactly what Healthwatch Nottingham & Nottinghamshire has been doing for over a decade. And it is precisely what would be lost if independent Healthwatch disappears.
What happens next?
The Bill must now go through Parliament. That means debates in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and the opportunity for MPs and peers to challenge, change, or improve what is being proposed.
The earliest any changes could take effect is April 2027. There is still time to make the case for an independent voice.
Healthwatch Leeds will be writing to local MPs to ask them to stand up for the people of Nottingham & Nottinghamshire in these debates. We would encourage you to do the same.
We have created a template letter that you can use to write to your MP. It takes just a few minutes, and it really does make a difference when MPs hear directly from people in their constituency.
You can also contact your MP directly and ask them:
- Whether they have read Schedule 10 of the NHS Modernisation Bill
- Whether they will fight to protect an independent voice in health and social care for people in Nottingham & Nottinghamshire
- What does this mean for you right now
Nothing changes right now. We are still open, our team is here, and we want to hear from you.
If you have had an experience of health or care (good or bad) please share it with us. Every experience matters. What you tell us helps us build a picture of what is working, what is not, and what needs to change.
We will keep you updated as things develop.
Thank you for your continued support. It means the world to us.
