Sir – The recent departures from the Healthwatch Oxfordshire board are unfortunate at a crucial time for this evolving organisation, which we have to acknowledge has had a difficult birth.

Each local authority is required to enable a local Healthwatch to be set up which is independent of the local health and care service providers.

Its main function is to put people who use health and social care services at the core of how it is run.

The Oxfordshire Rural Community Council is taking Healthwatch Oxfordshire through its early months and I would hope that they have the support of health practitioners, patients and patients’ groups. We are experiencing an era of unprecedented change in the NHS and social care, which makes the creation of a new institution both difficult and essential.

But the difficult start for Healthwatch Oxfordshire should not be allowed to distract us from the importance of the voice of consumers in improving services and ensuring they are safe. Health and care organisations in Oxfordshire need Healthwatch to succeed and more importantly so do patients and service users.

Time and again nationally we have seen how their voices have not been heard properly, leading to failures of medical and social care. Oxfordshire County Council is now looking for organisations or individuals who are committed to improvement in health and social care services and equally committed to giving service users a voice, to run Healthwatch from April. If that’s you, I hope you will see Healthwatch as an opportunity to make difference locally.

Applications to run Healthwatch can made by registering and expressing an interest via the South East Business Portal website at:- http://tinyurl.com/pdtvbjo. Completed application forms must be received by noon on October 14.

Judith Heathcoat, Cabinet member for adult social care, Oxfordshire County Council