Healthwatch Kent

What Healthwatch Kent does

Healthwatch Kent is an independent, publicly funded non-profit organization operating as the local statutory consumer champion for health and social care services across Kent, England. Established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, it is part of the national Healthwatch England network of 152 local Healthwatch bodies. The organization's core function is to gather public feedback on local NHS and social care experiences, produce thematic reports (covering topics including ADHD, autism, veterans' health, and refugee access), and provide information and signposting services to Kent residents. Operational scale is modest, with approximately 8.8 FTE staff supplemented by 18 volunteers, and digital infrastructure (CRM and web presence) managed through parent company EK360.

The business model is grant-funded rather than commercial: revenue derives from public-sector commissioners, principally Kent County Council and NHS England via the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board, with no direct fees charged to end-users. Outputs are reports, advocacy, and engagement events (including an annual Recognition Awards programme), with strategic partnerships extending into NHS provider trusts and adjacent Healthwatch branches such as Healthwatch Medway. The most material strategic risk is the UK government's announced intention to close Healthwatch England and the local Healthwatch network, which would extinguish the statutory mandate that underpins the organization's funding and role.

Name

Healthwatch Kent

Legal name

Healthwatch Kent

Website

https://healthwatchkent.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Healthwatch Kent is a publicly funded, independent non-profit that acts as the statutory consumer champion for health and social care services in Kent, England. It collects public feedback, publishes thematic reports, and signposts residents to services, operating as part of the national Healthwatch England network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health and Social Care Advocacy Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Public Health & Human Services Administration (BPAIACAK)

Keywords

• Health and social care advocacy
• Patient feedback services
• Community health engagement
• Healthcare research reports
• Independent health watchdog

Headquarters

HQ city

Chartham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public funding: Healthwatch Kent is publicly funded through its role as the local independent champion for health and social care services. The organization receives funding to carry out its statutory functions of gathering public feedback and influencing decision makers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Healthwatch Kent is the local independent champion for people who use health and social care services across Kent, England. It gathers public experiences of health and care through a Have Your Say feedback portal, a freephone helpline, email, text/BSL, in-person community engagement and dedicated forums, then publishes research and engagement reports (covering ADHD, mental health crisis support, housing, pharmacy, veterans, autism, live-in care and more) to influence NHS, local authority and Integrated Care Board decision makers and drive service improvements.

Product overview

Healthwatch Kent is a community health and social care advocacy organization that operates as a unified platform rather than a modular software product. Its core offering consists of a public-facing website (healthwatchkent.co.uk) that serves as the central hub for all activities. The platform combines a feedback collection portal (Have Your Say) for gathering community experiences, an Information and Signposting Service helpline (0808 801 0102) providing personalized guidance, and a Research and Engagement Reports program that publishes findings from community feedback. Additional services include Advice and Information Articles covering health topics, a Volunteering Program for community engagement, dedicated forums for Older People's and Physical Disability communities, annual Healthwatch Recognition Awards celebrating excellence, Safeguarding Support resources, Advocacy Services information, and Carers Assessments guidance. The organization works closely with Healthwatch England, Care Quality Commission (CQC), NHS, Kent County Council, and EK360 (parent company providing digital infrastructure) to amplify resident voices and influence health and social care decisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Healthwatch Kent Website Primary digital platform serving as the main interface for community engagement, providing access to health and social care advice, news, reports and feedback collection tools for Kent residents.
• Have Your Say Feedback Portal Online portal enabling Kent residents to share their experiences of health and social care services to inform improvement decisions by Healthwatch Kent and its stakeholders.
• Information and Signposting Service Helpline and guidance service (Freephone 0808 801 0102) helping Kent residents access, understand and navigate health and care services, find services, resolve concerns and share feedback, with text/BSL access available.
• Research and Engagement Reports Published reports analysing community feedback on health and social care services, covering topics including ADHD (133 residents), mental health crisis support (489 experiences), housing, pharmacy, veterans, autism and care homes.
• Advice and Information Articles Educational content providing guidance on topics including GP access, NHS complaints, dental care, adult social care, mental health support, ADHD waiting support and accessibility rights (e.g., NHS support for refugees and asylum seekers).
• Volunteering Program Program providing opportunities for community members to contribute to health and social care improvement through various volunteer roles within Healthwatch Kent.
• Older People's Forum Dedicated community forum for engaging older Kent residents on health and social care issues affecting their demographic.
• Physical Disability Forum Dedicated forum for individuals with physical disabilities in Kent to share experiences and influence health and social care services.
• Healthwatch Recognition Awards Annual awards program (5th annual announced November 2025) celebrating individuals and organizations making exceptional contributions to health and social care in Kent and Medway, hosted with partner EK360.
• Safeguarding Support Resources and guidance to help identify and respond to abuse and neglect, including reporting mechanisms for vulnerable individuals, delivered with the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board.
• Advocacy Services Information Information and signposting about advocacy services for people who struggle to understand care and support or have difficulty speaking up, connecting them with advocates.
• Carers Assessments and Information Resources and support information for unpaid carers in Kent, including guidance on carer assessments and available support services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,200 people supported to share their experiences of health and care services
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Healthwatch EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthwatch Kent is required to share information with Healthwatch England to ensure local views are considered at national level. This enables national analysis of service provision and supplies the Department of Health and national commissioners with information provided by local residents.
• Care Quality Commission (CQC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthwatch Kent works with the CQC as part of the health and social care oversight system. Information may be disclosed to CQC where necessary to protect vulnerable persons from abuse or harm.
• Kent County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthwatch Kent works with Kent County Council as a key local authority partner in health and social care. The organization receives funding and collaborates on initiatives including the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board.
• NHS ImprovementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthwatch Kent collaborates with NHS Improvement to help improve health and social care services by passing on residents' experiences.
• EK360coreTechnology or IntegrationEK360 is the parent company providing a secure digital system for Healthwatch Kent to manage data. The system is held securely and according to current data protection legislation. Sister organizations Healthwatch Medway and Kent & Medway User Forums also use this system.
• Healthwatch MedwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthwatch Kent's sister organization covering Medway. They collaborate on joint reports including ADHD in Kent and Medway, young people's mental health, substance misuse and mental health services, and mental health crisis support reports.
• Kent and Medway Integrated Care BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board is working with Healthwatch Kent on mental health crisis support improvements. The ICB is expanding safe haven services based on Healthwatch findings and working with mental health care providers.
• Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust is implementing improvements to crisis support based on Healthwatch reports, including improvements to waiting times, coordination, and continuity of care.
• Mental Health Voice (MHV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHV project collaborates with Healthwatch Kent to gather feedback on mental health services. Through this project, feedback is collected from 37 people on pharmacy services and broader mental health experiences.
• Local Mental Health NetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthwatch Kent works with 4 Local Mental Health Networks (LMHNs) based around each Health and Care Partnership area. These networks include Dartford Gravesham Swanley, Maidstone, Sevenoaks Tonbridge & Malling and Tunbridge Wells, and Ashford Thanet and Dover areas.
• MVA Kent and MedwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the young people's mental health project, collaborating on gathering data around self-harm issues affecting children and young people aged 10-24.
• Medway Council Public Health TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner in the young people's mental health project seeking views on self-harm among children and young people.
• Medway and Swale Health and Care PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the young people's mental health project focusing on self-harm issues in Medway and Swale area.
• Involving Medway and SwaleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the young people's mental health project.
• Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthwatch Kent participates in the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board, a statutory service ensuring agencies work together to protect adults from harm and protect their rights.
• Safe HavenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKent and Medway Safe Havens offer free mental health and crisis support in a welcoming, non-judgmental environment. They received positive feedback and are being expanded to 24/7 operations based on Healthwatch recommendations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NHS England: The national NHS commissioning body. Healthwatch Kent's reports directly inform NHS commissioning decisions at the ICB and trust level; both operate within the health and care system to shape service provision.
• Healthwatch England: The statutory national body that supports and oversees the local Healthwatch network, including Healthwatch Kent. Directly comparable oversight and patient-voice remit, but operating nationally rather than at a county level.
• Care Quality Commission: The independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Healthwatch Kent has a formal working relationship with the CQC and provides information that may inform CQC inspections; both share a public-interest oversight mandate.

Others

• Nuffield Trust: Independent health think tank producing research and analysis on UK health and social care services. Adjacent to Healthwatch Kent's mission of informing service improvement, though focused on policy research rather than grassroots public feedback collection.
• The King's Fund: Independent charitable think tank working to improve health and care in England. Operates in an adjacent space to Healthwatch Kent by producing influential research and analysis that shapes NHS policy, though without the statutory patient-voice role.

Direct peers

• Healthwatch Medway: The sister Local Healthwatch covering Medway, also managed by EK360 and frequently co-publishing joint reports with Healthwatch Kent (e.g., ADHD, young people's mental health). Most directly comparable peer in remit, geography, and operating model.

Regional players

• Healthwatch Essex: Local Healthwatch for Essex with the same statutory patient-voice role and community-research approach as Healthwatch Kent, operating in a neighbouring South East region.
• Healthwatch Sussex: Local Healthwatch covering Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, and West Sussex. Shares the same statutory functions and community engagement model as Healthwatch Kent but serves a different regional population.
• Healthwatch Lancashire: Local Healthwatch serving Lancashire residents with the same statutory functions under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, applying the same community-feedback-and-report model as Healthwatch Kent.
• Healthwatch Surrey: Neighbouring Local Healthwatch serving Surrey residents with the same statutory patient-voice role under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Comparable remit and operating model in a different county.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HealthwatchKent
• Facebookfacebook.com/hwkent
• Instagraminstagram.com/healthwatch_kent

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Healthwatch Kent