News in brief November 2011

HealthWatch England will this month recruit a chair as the next stage of its development. The new national consumer champion for health services has a remit to give voice to collective views’ of all users of the NHS and social care services across England. Led by the CQC, the project to establish HealthWatch England was originally announvced in the Health and Social Care Bill and will provide leadership, advice and support to local HealthWatch organisations which will grow out of existing LINk bodies. Local authorities will be able to commission these local groups to provide advocacy services.