Working with local groups

We work with local groups to make sure we hear from a range of people using services. This includes those whose voices are less often heard.

If you are a member of a local group or a public representative and want to work with us, contact us using our online form.

These public groups include:

Local Healthwatch

Healthwatch England is the national consumer champion in health and care.

There are 152 local Healthwatch organisations in England, each covering a local authority area.

Local Healthwatch shares information with us about local people’s experiences.

Find your local Healthwatch

Download our booklet for more information about how we work with Healthwatch.

CQC and Healthwatch: working together

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Find out more information about how Healthwatch can drive improvement at a local level using CQC reports.

How local Healthwatch can use CQC reports to drive improvement

Patient Participation Groups

We work with Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) when we inspect GP practices.

PPGs represent the views of patients within GP practices. You can ask your local GP practice whether they have a PPG and how they involve patients and the public.

Find out more about PPGs and how they work

SpeakOut network

SpeakOut is a national network of more than 100 marginalised and disadvantaged community groups that work with us.

The network helps groups that are less often heard to have a stronger voice about health and social care matters that affect their communities.

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There are other types of groups we work with to capture people's views and share information. These include:

Local councillors and council committees

We work with councillors and council committees to improve services in local areas.

Council executive committees are responsible for the day-to-day decision making of the council. Scrutiny committees hold them to account and look closely at these decisions. Both share information with us to help us monitor services.

Find your local council

Foundation trust councils of governors

Foundation trust councils of governors represent local people and staff and feed into the work of the trust's board. They exchange information with us that can help inform our inspections. As part of the well-led inspection, we also look at their ability to hold non-executive directors to account for the performance of the board.

Download our booklet for more information about how we work with councils of governors.

CQC and foundation trust councils of governors: working together