Rival Warwickshire councillors have joined forces in an attempt to save a body that represents the public to NHS and care providers.

Healthwatch Warwickshire is one of 152 such organisations that looks at various health and care services and receives and collates patient and carer feedback on a wide range of issues including access to services and practical and social barriers to people getting the care they need.

A key power that Healthwatch has is 'Enter and View' – the ability to visit health or care settings unannounced to check out complaints related to quality.

Their work and feedback is frequently leaned on in council health committees but a government review recommended all Healthwatch organisations make way from March 2027, stating that there are too many bodies doing similar work.

It has caused quite the stir with Cllr Jo Barker, the chair of Warwickshire County Council's Adult Social Care & Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee, bringing forward a motion – statement of intent – to last week's full council meeting.

It commits the council to pull out the part of the emerging Health Bill that abolishes Healthwatch, commits to working with the ICB to find "financially sustainable way" for patients and the public to be represented and to find a way to maintain 'Enter and View' arrangements if the abolition still goes ahead.

Declaring herself "amazed that anyone would consider abolishing Healthwatch", Cllr Barker said the move would effectively be "handing back the ability to scrutinise" at a time when NHS integrated care boards (ICBs) – the bodies responsible for commissioning or axing health services – are being merged with fewer staff covering larger areas.

"It means that ICBs and local authorities, I'm afraid to say, will be marking our own homework," she said.

Insisting the impact of Healthwatch was "way above the amount of effort that goes in", she continued: "It is really important that people are represented.

"We are talking about patients, yes, but we are also talking about carers, relatives and other people around them.

"Healthwatch having that voice on behalf of people allows those who cannot represent themselves, or are frightened to represent themselves, to be able to have a say. It is really powerful."

Cllr Barker added: "Enter and view is the way that Healthwatch can, on our behalf, really look at the standards and blow the whistle, to tell us."

She went on to quote new prime minister Andy Burnham when, prior to becoming an MP, he spoke out against the abolition of Healthwatch.

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse referenced the "bunch of MPs riding in to get it changed" and agreed fully with Cllr Barker.

"We need that independent voice," he said.

"Where does the voice of communities, patients and people come through? If you leave it within the NHS it will just get consumed, become a tick box. I have seen that happen before.

"It is absolutely crucial for patient safety and to allow their voices to be heard. Some people don't want to talk but they will to a third party, to somebody off-record. That voice can then be taken back in as part of a wider evidence base."

The motion was voted through unanimously with unflinching support from Reform UK's portfolio holder for adult social care and health Councillor Anne-Marie Sonko (Earl Craven).

"I am 100 per cent behind this," she said.

"I cannot think why anyone in their right mind wants to do this in the first place. If the only thing our new prime minister ever gives us is this then I'll take that as a win."