The Patients Association responds to the NHS Modernisation Bill announced in the King's Speech

"The NHS Modernisation Bill contains real opportunities for patients, but also significant risks. We welcome the proposal for a Single Patient Record, something patients have wanted for a long time. Too many people have had the experience of repeating their history at every appointment, or of vital information simply not being there when it is needed. Done well, a Single Patient Record could make a genuine difference to people's lives. But it must be designed with patients, it must work for people who find digital technology difficult, and patients must stay in control of their own information.  We also note that the Bill’s initial commitment to a single patient record is limited to maternity and frailty care by 2028. Patients will want to see a clear timetable for how this is extended to all.  

We welcome the proposal for a new Patient Experience Directorate within the Department of Health and Social Care. Embedding patient voice in national decision-making is long overdue, and if done properly, this could mark a genuine shift in how the system listens and responds. But we need clarity on how this will operate, how it will connect with patients and whether it will have the mandate and the genuine authority to make patient experience a driver of policy - not simply a box to be ticked. 

We are deeply concerned about the disbanding of Healthwatch England. Whatever the case for reform, it is currently the only body in England with a statutory duty to listen to patients and ensure that their experiences shape how services are run. Transferring its functions into the Department of Health and Social Care raises serious questions about independence - a patient voice that sits inside government is not the same as one that can challenge it. Splitting local Healthwatch between ICBs and local authorities risks cr"eating a patchwork of accountability with no single body responsible for ensuring patients are heard  

Our reason for existing commits us to being the independent voice for patients, to holding the system to account, and to making sure that in times of change, patients are not forgotten. We will engage with this Bill at every stage, and we will keep asking the same question on their behalf: ‘Will patients truly benefit?’"