Blackburn with Darwen will be one of the first areas in England to set up a new independent consumer champion for health and social care.
The borough has become an early adopter for Healthwatch.
Healthwatch is a local organisation that will champions patients, services users and carers.
It will be an independent voice that will hold local health and social care services to account on behalf of residents.
It is part of NHS reform plans going through Parliament.
The announcement that Blackburn with Darwen will be a Healthwatch “pathfinder” follows the borough becoming an early adopter for Health and Well-Being Boards.
The area’s Clinical Commissioning Group, the body which will replace Primary Care Trusts under the government plans, has also made rapid progress.
Blackburn with Darwen Council joined with the area’s Local Involvement Network to submit a bid for pathfinder status to the Department of Health, which means Blackburn with Darwen can actively take part in testing out Healthwatch functions with national support.
Councillor Mohammed Khan, Executive Member for Adult Social Care and vice chair of the Blackburn with Darwen Health and Wellbeing Board, said : "Blackburn with Darwen Council prides itself on how it puts its residents at the centre of everything it does. Healthwatch will be another avenue for residents to get involved in shaping and influencing how health and social care is delivered in this borough.
"I hope it will also provide a strong independent voice that will guard patients’ interests and fight for them.
"I will be interested to see how it develops."
Sir Bill Taylor, chair of both the NHS Blackburn with Darwen Care Trust Plus and Blackburn with Darwen Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “In the news recently we have seen how important it is for health and social care services to be constantly challenged to make sure they are the best possible in every way.
“Becoming a pathfinder means our experiences can help shape how other areas set up and run their Healthwatch.”
“Patients deserve the best. Healthwatch will help guard their interests.”
Jean Baxendale, chair of Blackburn with Darwen LINk, said: "We are pleased to have been chosen as a pathfinder. We were quick to get up and running with Blackburn with Darwen LINk. This led to development of a highly effective and nationally recognised LINk and our experience will now contribute to development of HealthWatch."
Jean Baxendale, chair of Blackburn with Darwen LINk, said: "We are pleased to have been chosen as a pathfinder. We were determined to get Blackburn with Darwen LINk up and running as soon as possible. This led to the development of a highly effective and nationally recognised LINk and our experience will now contribute to development of HealthWatch."
