DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service. 20 November 2008
Funding announced
for innovative social enterprise projects
Marking Social Enterprise Day, Care Service Ministers Phil Hope
today announced that six projects will share £450,000 to establish
new social enterprises which will help the elderly, the disabled
and the homeless, and nurses will get more help to set up services
that will help their patients.
The six projects form part of the Government's
'Innovation for Life' Challenge Fund - a fund set up to
promote commissioning of innovative health and social care
services from social enterprises.
The projects to receive funding are:
* Gateshead Council (£61,875) to develop a new initiative which
will train and enable older and disabled people to offer their
skills and knowledge to other people who need independent assistance.
* Bristol City Council (£40,000) will bring together partners
from the voluntary, community, social enterprise and public
sectors to tackle local health and well-being challenges.
* NHS West Midlands (£100,000) will set up schemes for respite
care for disabled young people and their families and improved
engagement with groups such as the homeless.
* Birmingham City Council (£63,750) to encourage the development
of a framework to support the start-up of local social enterprises.
* Croydon PCT and Croydon Council (£85,000) will set up a
Partnership for Older People's (POP) Village, which will help
older people in the borough.
* Kent County Council (£100,000) will engage with and support PCT
commissioning of social enterprises.
A how-to guide, called 'Social Enterprise - Making a
Difference' which will help community health and social care
staff set up social enterprises to deliver new and improved
services, was also launched today.
The "Right to Request" to set up social enterprises is
a commitment within the Next Stage Review of the NHS published in
July 2008. It allows primary and community care staff to establish
independent social enterprises, providing an opportunity for them
to deliver their services in new ways. This right will help staff
drive up the quality of care by empowering them to directly
address local needs and ultimately improve the health and
well-being of the people they serve.
Phil Hope said:
"Social enterprise can support the development of vibrant
services that improve patient care. For this to happen, PCTs and
councils need to work together to encourage social enterprise.
This funding supports innovation in organisations that are
committed to improvement.
"This guide empowers frontline staff to directly help the
patients and communities they serve. Social enterprises can also
give greater freedom to staff to use their professional skills to
transform services. Healthcare professionals have a long history
of providing innovative services in a variety of settings so they
are in an excellent position to take advantage of this 'right
to request'".
Commenting on the guide, Jonathan Bland, Chief Executive of the
Social Enterprise Coalition said:
"Setting up a social enterprise gives NHS staff the ability
to respond to the needs of people and communities in innovative,
targeted ways and it has the potential to generate enormous
positive change in health care across England. But it is essential
that the staff who choose to set up social enterprises are given
proper and comprehensive support along the way, and this
publication is an excellent first step to introducing them to what
opportunities and challenges lie ahead."
NOTES TO EDITORS
Social enterprises are dynamic businesses with social and
environmental aims. Well known examples include The Big Issue,
Cafe Direct and Jamie Oliver's Fifteen, but there are many
other social enterprises operating in a wide range of industries.
More information about the Department of Health's social
enterprise programme can be found at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/Commissioning/Socialenterprise/index.htm
Right to Request How-To Guide
Under the 'Right to Request' commitment in the Next
Stage Review, PCT boards will be obliged to consider social
enterprise requests from staff and, if approved, support its development.
Co-produced with the Social Enterprise Coalition, the guide
'Social Enterprise - Making a Difference' provides
step-by-step information to Primary Care Trust (PCT) staff on how
to approach the creation of a social enterprise.
The 'How To' guide for staff considering a right to
request to set up a social enterprise can be found at http://www.dh.gov.uk and http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk.
It was developed in conjunction with the Social Enterprise Coalition.
A series of regional staff conferences and workshops on social
enterprise and the 'Right to Request' are planned for
early 2009.
'Innovation for Life' Challenge Fund
The 'Innovation for Life' Challenge Fund was announced
in May 2008 as part of the Social Enterprise Investment Fund,
worth a total of £100million. It is intended to stimulate and
encourage the development of a vibrant social enterprise sector in
the delivery of health and social care services. More information
about the fund can be found at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/Commissioning/Socialenterprise/DH_084563
About the Social Enterprise Coalition
The Social Enterprise Coalition is the UK's national body
for social enterprise. Acting as the voice for the sector, it
supports and represents the work of its members, influences
national policy and promotes best practice. http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk
ENDS