DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service on 20 April 2009
Third sector
leaders join Health Minister to launch New Programme
The Department of Health has joined forces with 11 specialist
organisations including Age Concern, the Men's Health Forum
and the Race Equality Foundation in a bid to transform the way it
works with third sector organisations, Care Services Minister Phil
Hope announced today.
The £5.5 million 'Third Sector Strategic Partner
programme' will support third sector organisations to build
on their skills and knowledge to improve health and social care
services and act as advocates, as well as ensuring input from the
sector in developing health and social care policy..
The 'Strategic Partners', will strengthen links between
the Department of Health and the third sector.
The eleven strategic partner organisations are:
* National Association of Voluntary and Community Action
* National Heart Forum
* Men's Health Forum
* Faith Action Network (Lifeline)
* RADAR / National Centre for Independent Living / Shaping Our
Lives National User Network
* Age Concern England
* National Council for Palliative Care
* National Children's Bureau
* Race Equality Foundation
* Voluntary Organisations Disability Group / National Care Forum
* Regional Voluntary Sector Networks Forum
Each organisation will receive a share of £5.5 million of funding
over the next three years. The programme will initially focus the
work of strategic partners on:
* Improving the third sector's understanding of
commissioning processes.
* The role for the sector in the personalisation agenda.
* Increasing understanding of health inequalities across the sector.
* Raising awareness of how emergencies such as a pandemic flu
outbreak may affect the sector.
* Equality issues - including work to improve assessments of how
policies affect minority groups.
* Improving the way the sector works at a regional level.
Phil Hope, Minister for Care Services said:
"Third sector organisations are involved in many areas of
healthcare today - from advocacy for patients and carers, to
providing front line services.
"The Strategic Partner Programme will play a vital role in
supporting and engaging third sector organisations to work in
partnership with the NHS, to deliver better health and social care
services for everyone."
ENDS
Notes to editors
1. For media enquiries only please contact the Department of
Health newsdesk on 02072105221
2. Strategic Partners applied for various levels of funding. Full
details of the awards made to each organisation will be made
available shortly
3. Statements from the Strategic Partners:
Eve Richardson, CEO of the National Council for Palliative Care:
'As an umbrella organisation and charity, NCPC has long since
recognised the power of partnership working to achieve our goals.
We look forward to working collaboratively with the Department of
Health and its diverse range of strategic partners to benefit all
those commissioning, providing and requiring palliative and end of
life care'
Jabeer Butt, Deputy Chief Executive, Race Equality Foundation.
The black and minority ethnic-led third sector has proved to be
uniquely able to support 'hard to reach' individuals and
communities overcome inequalities in health and social care. The
Race Equality Foundation, therefore, welcomes the investment from
Department of Health in strengthening the third sector by building
effective partnerships that will contribute to achieving health
and social care improvements for all.
VODG / NCF
Working together the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group
(VODG) and the National Care Forum (NCF) are delighted to have
been appointed as joint Strategic Partners by the Department of
Health. Commenting John Adams (VODG) and Des Kelly (NCF) said,
"This new investment programme offers an exceptional
opportunity for the third sector to engage with the DH at all
levels in the delivery of personalisation and the transformation
of services. The changing demographics of people with disabilities
and older people are the greatest challenge to public funding
since the creation of the welfare state. It's critical
therefore that we find ways for NHS and Local Council
Commissioners to share and develop best commissioning and
procurement practices with third sector providers - as a DH
Strategic Partner this is what we will be seeking to achieve".
Kevin Curley, Chief Executive, NAVCA
'This imaginative new Department of Health programme will
transform relationships with the third sector and strengthen the
local sector's delivery of social care services throughout England'.
Judy Robinson Director Yorkshire & Humber Regional Forum for
Voluntary & Community Organisations and Chair of the Regional
Networks Group.
"The voluntary sector is a key partner in helping to create
healthy communities. So the 9 regional voluntary sector networks
are delighted to be working with the DofH to make sure the right
links and information is in place to join up all the great work of
the sector with the planning and other processes of PCTs, the
Strategic Health Authorities and the DofH. We look forward to
working together."
Liz Sayce (RADAR):
"RADAR is delighted to be part of a powerful partnership of
user-led organisations, with the National Centre for Independent
Living and Shaping Our Lives, as a strategic partner to the
Department of Health. Together we believe we can make more impact
than we could separately, bringing together disabled people,
people with long-term health conditions and those developing and
delivering the policies that are critical to so many people's lives."
Fran Branfield (SOL):
"Shaping Our Lives are delighted to be working with RADAR
and the National Centre for Independent Living as part of this
exciting new programme. Acting as part of a Strategic Partnership
with the Department of Health will enable Shaping Our Lives to
facilitate effective two way communication and policy development
between the Department and Shaping Our Lives' diverse network
of service users."
Sue Bott (NCIL):
"NCIL looks forward to working in partnership with RADAR and
Shaping Our Lives to engage user led organisations in the health
and social care personalisation agenda through our strategic
partnership with the Department of Health"
Sally Whitaker, Deputy Chief Executive, NCB : NCB is delighted to
be a strategic partner to the Department of Health within its
Third Sector Investment programme. As a membership and
infrastructure support agency for the children and young
people's sector, we will work hard increase stakeholder
engagement in existing and emerging policy priorities, and
strengthen capacity and partnership working within the third
sector. This is a very exciting new programme and the approach the
department is taking through the range of strategic partnerships
with and between third sector agencies, is one to be admired and
emulated by other funders and government departments.
Peter Baker, CEO Men's Health Forum
The Men's Health Forum is delighted to have been appointed
as a Strategic Partner. This creates a major new opportunity to
address gender inequalities in health. With one-third of men still
dying prematurely, this is clearly a priority for the Department
of Health, the NHS and the third sector. We can now look forward
to much more systematic approach.
Daniel Singleton, FaithAction
"FaithAction is delighted with this opportunity to work
closely with the Department of Health in their strategic
partnership programme. Using this funding, FaithAction will
continue to work with Faith based and Faith inspired organisations
nationally to improve health services for some of the hardest to
reach people."
Helena Herklots, Services Director (designate), Age Concern and
Help the Aged:
"We are delighted to have been chosen as strategic partners
by the Department of Health. It provides a great opportunity to
create two way communications with government. Views of older
people and third sector organisations will be reflected in policy
development. Third sector organisations will be better informed
about policy and service development."
Paul Lincoln, Chief Executive, National Heart Forum
The National Heart Forum welcomes the new strategic partnership
arrangements with the DH, which recognise the vital and
complimentary role the third sector plays in health advocacy and
the development and delivery of the wider public health agenda.