James Murray

James Murray

Labour (Co-op) — Ealing North

Speaking in the House of Commons on 1 June 2026

Debate

Health Bill

Contribution

I am going to make some progress, because, Madam Deputy Speaker, you have asked me and looked at me several times, suggesting that that is what I should do. I mentioned the changes that the Bill makes to HSSIB and the CQC, but the functions of Healthwatch England—I spoke about that earlier—will move to a new patient experience directorate within the Department of Health and Social Care. The functions of local healthwatch groups will be incorporated into ICBs and local authorities. That approach brings the voices of patients closer to decision makers, so that people have a direct impact on the services they receive. Of course, the changes will neither fix everything at the stroke of a pen, nor take effect overnight, but rather than the voices of patients being kept at arm’s length, the Bill puts them where they should be: right at the heart of the NHS.

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