When we talk about health inequalities, it can sometimes feel as though we are describing something abstract: a gap in life expectancy, a disparity in access, a statistic in a report. But when I speak to National Voices’ members and the communities they work with, it feels much more personal: a loved one lost, a quiet indignity experienced, a fear that they will not receive the care and compassion they deserve.
We are not short of evidence about health inequalities. The data is robust, the research compelling, and the case for change has been made many times over. We know who is most affected, where the gaps are widest, and which communities are least well served. And yet, too often, that knowledge sits in reports rather than reshaping practice.
For change to happen, it has to travel – into the standards against which services are judged, into the way quality is understood and measured, into the learning culture of organisations, and into the accountability mechanisms that drive improvement. It has to be heard not just as information, but as a call to act.
It is in that context that today’s announcement feels significant: from April 2026, we – National Voices, working with Innovation Unit and Collaborate CIC as the Voices for Health Equity Partnership – will lead the next phase of the Care Quality Commission’s Public Engagement Network.
This Network currently brings together over 200 equality VCSE organisations from across England. Through their work, members gather insights directly from people experiencing health inequalities and feed these into the CQC with the aim of shaping how services are delivered, assessed and improved.
Alongside a new name, which we plan to develop with members in the coming months, we will take a new and ambitious approach to how the Network operates – because we believe it is the right thing to do, and because we know it can make a difference.
First, we will invest in strengthening Network members, by introducing a free learning programme shaped by members, giving them the confidence, knowledge and tools to grow their impact.
Second, we will ensure that insights shared with CQC are returned to members in ways they can use, so the evidence they contribute strengthens their own work and helps them influence change in the health and care system.
Third, we will create clear pathways from insight to change, bringing CQC staff and Network members together to turn community feedback into practical tests of change and system-wide improvement.
In addition, we will aim to significantly grow the Network, so more people experiencing health inequalities are heard by the CQC and within the wider health and care system.
For the charities in the Network, we will create spaces where their expertise shapes the programme, builds skills, and drives real impact, recognising them as critical partners in shaping priorities and solutions. For people with lived experience, we will help ensure their voices are amplified, respected, and embedded in decisions that affect their care.
This is a unique and timely opportunity. Through this new approach, the voices of people experiencing health inequalities can travel more effectively into the heart of CQC’s work, helping to shape standards, assessments and improvement efforts across the system.
We are determined to do things in a way that drives real change – turning insights into action, evidence into improvement and feedback into tangible changes that make a difference in people’s lives.
And above all, we want this to feel personal, not abstract. Just as the gaps in care, the indignities, and the fears are real for communities experiencing health inequalities, they must be real for the staff and systems that make decisions about their care. By finding new ways to surface and improve people’s experiences of care, we can ensure everyone receives the safe, effective and compassionate care they deserve. Because behind every gap in care, there is a story, a life, and a voice that deserves to be heard.
What happens next
Existing Public Engagement Network members who wish to continue into the new phase should complete the Transfer of Membership form shared by Choice Support to ensure automatic inclusion from 1 April 2026.
If you’re a VCSE organisation working with people experiencing health inequalities and you’re interested in registering to join the network once it is under our stewardship in April, you can fill out an expression of interest form here.
Further information on how CQC staff can engage with the new Network will be shared soon.
For any questions, please reach out to us by emailing info@nationalvoices.org.uk