What is Healthwatch? This episode introduces these little-known organisations. We talk with Jacob Lant, Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Research at Healtwhatch England and discuss the role of Healthwatch in the English health and care system and the relationship between Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch organisations.

Find out more about our research on Healthwatch here

How did we end up with Healthwatch as the statutory, government-funded way of providing patient and public voice in England? What came before and how is Healthwatch different? How is Healthwatch's ability to provide patient and public voice affected by recent shifts in health policy? We explore these questions in conversation with Professor Graham Martin, Director of Research at The Health Improvement Studies Institute at the University of Cambridge.

There are local Healthwatch organisations in every council area in England. How do they work to promote public and patient voice in health and care? In this episode, we talk to Michelle Thompson, CEO of Healthwatch Darlington. We discuss the funding and staffing challenges facing local Healthwatch and also get an insight into how local Healthwatch changed the way it worked during the COVID-19 pandemic so that it could continue communicating with the communities and partners it serves.