Tuesday 25 August 2015

FW: LVSC health update - August 2015

August 2015

Dear colleague,

Welcome to the August 2015 edition of our regular health ebulletin bringing you news from LVSC, Regional Voices (of which LVSC is a constituent member), the Department of Health, Public Health England, Care Quality Commission and NHS England.

Where relevant, the ebulletins may include information from London's voluntary & community sector (VCS) as well as regional policy news - e.g. from the Greater London Authority, NHS England (London region), London senate, etc.

We also intend to keep you up to date on the government's Five Year Forward View, including the vanguards in London.

If you wish to discuss any items to be included in future bulletins, please feel free to contact me.

Sandra

Sandra van der Feen

Policy Officer, LVSC

sandra@lvsc.org.uk

Mondays - Wednesdays only

 

LVSC news

LVSC health work update

I have recently met with the engagement and development managers at South East Commissioning Support Unit (SECSU) as well as London Senate and the London Strategic Clinical Network leads.  The aim of the meetings were to identify ways to encourage engagement between commissioners, the CSUs, the senate, clinical strategic networks and the voluntary, community & social enterprise sector (VCSE) to promote co-production in service re-design. I hope this will lead to the development of some good practice case studies. In the long run, these could be utilised to bring together commissioners and the VCSE through master classes or workshops. We will also share information in future bulletins to promote regional engagement between commissioners and the VCSE.

I am currently developing a case study in partnership with Kensington & Chelsea Social Council and CWL Healthwatch looking at co-production between the CCG, patient forum, Healthwatch and KCSC re their Whole Systems Change integrated care programme. The case study will be completed and published early autumn.

I have also started work on developing a London wide social prescribing map with links to local social prescribing programmes. I will be speaking to the lead people in each area but more information will follow in September. Watch this space…

In the meantime, if you would like your area featured, do let me know! In the meantime see Dr. Everington of Bromley-by-Bow's blog on what social prescribing means for GPs.

For more information contact me, Sandra van der Feen: sandra@lvsc.org.uk

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Who's Who for London update

Each of the regional networks that comprise Regional Voices including LVSC, have produced a "Who's Who" guide to key people working in health, wellbeing and care in each region. The guides include relevant people from clinical commissioning groups, health and wellbeing boards, CQC, NHS England area teams, commissioning support units and local Healthwatch.

The most regularly updated version of the guide is available here. Please help us keep this guide up to date by notifying us of any changes, gaps or corrections.

Thanks to everyone who has provided me with changes, including from NHS England, London region. The guide now includes all contacts from the Healthy London Partnership.

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London wide news

London Borough Grants Scheme – Consultation on its Future

London Councils have launched a review of The London Borough Grants Scheme, the programme through which it commissions our London for All capacity building project and 34 other pan-London initiatives and for the first time asks whether or not the scheme should continue.  The consultation is primarily online but written submissions following focus groups or other consultation methods will be accepted. LVSC will be submitting its own response but we encourage everyone to submit their own – we cannot emphasise how important it is that as many organisations as possible respond to the consultation.  The link for the consultation.

The deadline for responses is Friday 2 October 2015.

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National /regional news

 

Urgent and emergency care – new approaches to improve the coordination of services and reduce pressure on A&E departments

The first eight urgent and emergency care vanguards have been announced by NHS England to spearhead new integrated models of delivery.

NHS England said the new systems would launch the transformation of urgent and emergency care for more than 9m people. The new models will see care delivered by GPs, pharmacists, community teams, ambulance services, NHS 111, and social care. For more information on the London emergency care vanguard see below.

The announcement is the latest implementation of the urgent care review led by NHS England's medical director professor Sir Bruce Keogh and the NHS in England's Five Year Forward View plan to reshape care delivery.
In March, 29 new care model vanguards were announced including GP-centred multispecialty community providers (MCPs) and vertically integrated primary and acute systems (PACS). In London these are located in Sutton and Tower Hamlets (see our previous LVSC health ebulletin for more information). Sandra van der Feen, LVSC will be meeting with the Sutton and Tower Hamlets vanguard leads at the end of September.

The London emergency care vanguard: Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge System Resilience Group

Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge System Resilience Group (SRG) aims to create a simplified, streamlined urgent care system delivering intelligent, responsive urgent care for 750,000 residents in the most challenged health economy in the country.

The SRG believes there is a need to do things differently and that patients are confused by the many and various urgent and emergency care services available to them – A&E, walk-in centre, urgent care centre, GPs, pharmacists, out of hours services. Becoming a UEC Vanguard will support the SRG in its ambition to streamline these points of access to just three – supported by a smart digital platform that will recognise patients and personalise the help they get as soon as they get in contact. This involves:

  • 'Click' – online support and information – will help people to self-care and book urgent appointments when needed.
  •  'Call' – telephone for those who need more advice, reassurance or to book-in.
  • 'Come in' – where patients really need emergency care – the front door of the hospital will become our new ambulatory care centres.

More information can also be found here

See also NHS England  vanguard support package

Link to the Involve, Yorkshire & Humber's "Vanguard & new models of care" briefing

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National news

REMINDER - Consultations to shape voluntary, community and social enterprise sector involvement in health and social care

The VCSE review advisory group have recently released two consultations.

  1. The first consultation asks for views from the voluntary sector and from those working in health and social care on the current state of investment, partnership working, and how closer collaboration could be fostered. Link here including link to the online consultation
  2. The second consultation asks for views on the role and effectiveness of the government's current 'Voluntary Sector Investment Programme' suite of grants. Link here including the link to the consultation survey

To view the advisory group's interim report please go to the VCSE review website

The consultations will help determine the future of voluntary sector involvement in health and social care; make sure your voice is heard and please share with your networks.

The consultations are open until Friday 6 November.

LVSC will respond to the first consultation and would welcome your input.

You may find it useful to have a quick look at the questions to determine which are most relevant to your organisation. To help you with this, LVSC has copied and pasted the questions from the survey which can be downloaded here. The survey sections comprise:

  • Recognising the value of the sector and making the most of local assets
  • How the sector is funded
  • Commissioning
  • VCSE Infrastructure/networks
  • Demonstrating impact
  • Promoting equality and addressing health inequality
  • National investment in the VCSE sector
  • Developing services and policies together
  • Local partnerships
  • Improving national relationships with the sector

In summary, you can respond to the first consultation in the following ways:

  • Respond directly via the online consultation survey (see bottom of page - you can respond to relevant sections for your organisation only)
  • Select the relevant questions/sections you would like to respond to and respond to me, Sandra van der Feen, LVSC via email (Sandra@lvsc.org.uk) by Monday 2nd November
  • Attend an online consultation webinar 10 September from 15.00 pm-15.45 pm. More information and registration
     

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NHS Citizen

NHS Citizen is primarily a way people can have their say on health issues that matter to them. 'NHS Citizen Gather' was launched recently - the online discussion forum - which you can find here. The forum is its early stages but it's essentially a space where people can raise and respond to issues. Of the issues raised, some will be chosen by a citizens jury to go to the NHS Citizen Assembly Meeting in November, where citizens and senior NHS England leaders will work together to decide on what the NHS should do next.

NHS Citizen is keen to hear from as many voices as possible so please spread the word across your members and networks. It can be on Gather, on social media (@nhscitizen / #nhscitizen) or NHScitizen on Facebook. Or people can email NHS Citizen at hello@nhscitizen.org.uk. They can also come to existing events or join existing conversations. NHS Citizen is about listening to and joining up what is already happening.

NHS Citizen is also able to offer members a complimentary pass to the upcoming NHS EXPO for those wishing to contribute to NHS Citizen sessions being held at EXPO. You can find out about these here. If you would like to take up this offer please contact england.ppvibsu@nhs.net.

Suggested Facebook text:
There is new a project called NHS Citizen. Everyone is invited to a conversation on how we can work together to improve the NHS in England. NHS Citizen Gather is now open for comments, suggestions and questions about the NHS in England.Please join the discussion and spread the word.

Suggested tweets:
Have your say on the NHS in England! Ask questions, make suggestions, talk to others! Visit #nhscitizen now http://gather.nhscitizen.org.uk/

What do you want to talk to the most senior leaders of the NHS about? Join #NHSCitizen Gather now! http://gather.nhscitizen.org.uk

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NHS Standard Contract and Contract Light

In previous bulletins, we mentioned that Regional Voices are aware of many issues in commissioning the voluntary sector- one of which is the disproportionate nature of the NHS Standard Contract. Regional Voices and the wider Health and Care Voluntary Sector Strategic Partnership, have  met with Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, and have committed to supporting NHS England develop a lighter touch version of the NHS Standard Contract- more proportional and suitable for use with VCSE organisations. Regional Voices have also responded to consultations about the NHS Standard Contract with our intelligence of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) experiences.

During 15/16 Regional Voices will work with NHS England to develop a "Standard Contract Light"- which is more proportionate for smaller VCSE organisations. Watch this space….

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The NHS needs a transformation fund

The Health Foundation and King's Fund argue that now, more a new, comprehensive approach is needed to support and implement change. That is why the two leading think tanks are calling for a £1.5bn transformation fund.

The King's Fund and the Health Foundation have spent the last nine months examining case studies of transformational change, from within the health sector and beyond, and capturing the experience of NHS organisations seeking to deliver the vision set out in the NHS five year forward view.

They make the case for the need of a NHS dedicated transformation fund. This should be independent of the current regulatory and performance management system, transparent and publicly accountable, with clear measureable objectives.

Its role should be to support investment in innovative new models of care and, when they have demonstrated their value, support the wide-scale spread of these models. This would include supporting investments beyond traditional NHS organisations - in social care, public health, charities and the private sector.

More information can also be found on the Health Foundation website

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Opportunity to apply for a grant from NHS England

The closing date to apply for funding is 12 noon on the 28th September 2015.

Has your community or voluntary group been working to involve patients and the public in improving health care services?  NHS England will be awarding a number of small grant awards to organisations who can tell the story of their patient and citizen involvement and engagement work in a creative and interesting way.  Grants are available of up to £1,000 each.  

To find out more or make an application please visit the NHS England website.

If you have any queries please contact us on england.ppvcommunitygrants@nhs.net

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Tell DoH about your experiences of transformative health technology innovation for patients – barriers and best practice

The Accelerated Access Review is particularly keen to reach charities with its request for case studies to support the Accelerated Access Review (the Review aims to speed up access to transformative health technology that can help change the lives of NHS patients. You can find out more here.
 
This is the specific ask for case studies which DoH would really appreciate you promoting.
 
And this blog from their patient champion adds a bit more background to the ask.

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Connecting with the wider public health workforce

The Centre for Workforce Intelligence and Royal Society for Public Health, supported by Public Health England, have recently published reports highlighting the importance of engaging the wider public health workforce to support improvement in population health.

They have identified approximately 20 million people across England with the potential to be part of the wider workforce, encompassing 57 different occupation groups. The reports argue that the wider workforce could support a "radical upgrade in prevention", and they provide a number of recommendations to achieve this.

More information:"Rethinking the Public Health Workforce"  and

"Understanding the Wider Public Health Workforce"

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Resources & information


Integrated care – commissioning & contracting King's Fund reading list

A range of useful links to resources from the Kings Fund library about integrated care - contracting & commissioning

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Commissioning, influencing, funding & costing and collaboration resources

Following a series of recent health commercial masterclasses, led by NCVO (funded by the Cabinet Office), a range of useful resources have been made available. They include links to the PowerPoint presentation used at the events as well as flipchart notes.

I have put them all together and they can be found here.

Resource sections:

  • The health commissioning 'landscape'
  • Influencing decision makers and commissioners
  • Procurement and contracting
  • Funding and costing
  • Collaboration and consortia
  • NCVO commercial masterclass (resources that accompany the main commercial masterclass series that this one-day event was derived from.)
  • April-May health commissioning masterclass PowerPoint and flipchart notes

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Events

UCLPartners Patient Experience Learning event

UCLPartners would like to invite you to the next UCLPartners patient experience learning event focused on making better use of patient and carer feedback. They would so appreciate it if you could also pass this invitation on to relevant others.

Time and venue are: Tuesday 8th September, 3pm-5pm, Room 422 Roberts Building, University College London, WC1E 7JE.

Patient experience is an ongoing high priority for UCLPartners trusts and much work is taking place to drive forward improvements. Resource for this work has been scattered and staff talk about wanting to do more to demonstrate impact and define focus, making better use of feedback. All Trusts are regularly collecting feedback data on patient experience but there is wide variety on how data is analysed and provided back to teams and staff.

They have invited Gary Etheridge, Deputy Chief Nurse at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University NHS Trust, and Lisa Anderton, Head of Patient Experience at University College London Hospitals NHS FT, to speak about their tips, tricks and challenges. They'll also have one of the national patient insight team from NHS England join them to talk about their work to enable improvements in care through feedback.

Please register via the EventBrite link here

Patient experience staff across UCLPartners have mentioned feeling like they are swimming in data and are keen to "measure without duplication" and "ensure data collection is used meaningfully for improvement". They hope this event will begin to unpick this knotty issue and develop learning across the partnership.

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Health Innovation Network – South London – Experience Network, in partnership with Shaping Our Lives

HIN states that in recent years they have got better at asking the people who matter most – service users and carers – what matters to them.  However, all too often, there are groups and individuals that get left out of participation and co-design activities.  

This event will be a way to share and learn, across South London, to improve the way that diverse groups and those often excluded can be involved in improving service design and delivery more effectively.

When and where?
14th October, 10am-3pm
Robens Suite, 29th Floor, Guys Hospital Tower

  • Learn inclusive participation techniques from Shaping Our Lives – a user controlled network and think tank.
  • Practical case studies from local Healthwatch.
  • Including a key note from Peter Beresford, author of Beyond the Usual Suspects.

Secure your place now: Click here

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HEAR Human Rights and Equalities Network

New free half day training from HEAR to help make your services more accessible - Managing Accessibility in the Third Sector

23 September 2015

10.15 am-2.30pm (lunch and refreshments provided) with networking session until 3pm

Centre for Accessible Environments
Holyer House
20-21 Red Lion Court,
EC4A 3EB

This free training is being delivered through a collaboration between HEAR Human Rights and Equalities Network and the Centre for Accessible Environments, and hosted and facilitated by CAE.

The session is valuable for managers and other staff in voluntary sector organisations who want to improve the accessibility of their services, including the built environment.

Participants will learn about:

  • regulations and legislation relevant to physical access
  • supports available for access auditing and capital costs
  • access planning
  • everyday improvements that are easy to achieve and cost little or
  • nothing,
  • yet make a big difference to service users.

Please arrive at 10:15 am for a 10:30 start. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Feel free to join until 3:00 pm to network with fellow attendees!

Note: Eligible participants must represent a voluntary or community sector organisation based in Greater London. Only one person per organisation may apply.

To book your place on this course, please complete the booking form
Please contact info@cae.org.uk if you have any additional questions or require more information about this course.

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ABOUT REGIONAL VOICES This e bulletin is published monthly by LVSC as the London region member of Regional Voices.

Regional Voices Logo

Regional Voices champions the work of voluntary and community organisations to improve health, well-being and care, across England. Regional Voices is a partnership of nine regional networks. Together, we directly connect to over 25,000 voluntary and community organisations. Our coverage is broad, deep and well-established. Our vision is for a society where voluntary and community organisations are connected with decision-makers at all levels, able to influence policy and improve community health, care and well-being through better services.

Regional Voices partnership is hosted by Involve Yorkshire and Humber,Registered charity number 1127119   |   Company registration number 6752034

London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC)

Registered charity number 276886   |   Company registration number 1395546

We try to check all the information in this bulletin and the web sites it links to, but we cannot accept responsibility for the contents of the websites and articles or guarantee their validity. Links should not be taken as an endorsement of any kind.

Telephone: 020 7832 5830   |   Email: info@lvsc.org.uk   |    Opt out of all LVSC mailings

Monday 17 August 2015

Weight loss plan - Week 12 - Your next steps

 

 

 

 

 

NHS Weight loss plan

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NHS Choices

 

 

Week 12: Well done!

 

 

Hello Ernest

 

Well done on reaching Week 12. As you enter the final week of the weight loss guide, make sure you line up a special non-food reward for your achievement of sticking with the programme over the last 12 weeks.

There will have been good and bad days, but overall you’ve shown a real commitment to change. This week you’ll find advice on the next steps to take, whether you’ve reached your target weight or need to keep going.

 

Download this week's weight loss pack

 

 

Get Support

 

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Tuesday 4 August 2015

LVSC health update - July 2015

 

July 2015

Dear colleague,

Welcome to our July 2015 edition of our regular health ebulletin bringing you news from LVSC, Regional Voices (of which LVSC is a constituent member), the Department of Health, Public Health England, Care Quality Commission and NHS England.

Where relevant, the ebulletins may include information from London's voluntary & community sector (VCS) as well as regional policy news - e.g. from the Greater London Authority, NHS England (London region), London CCGs,etc.

We also intend to keep you up to date on the government's Five Year Forward View, including the transformation agenda in London..

If you wish to discuss any items to be included in future bulletins, please feel free to contact me.

Kind regards

Sandra

Sandra van der Feen

Policy Officer, LVSC

sandra@lvsc.org.uk

Mondays - Wednesdays only

 

LVSC news

The Who's Who guide for London has been updated!

As you may be aware, the regional VCS network organisations have each developed a regional "Who's Who" guide to support voluntary and community sector organisations make contact with people in health and care structures in each region, including clinical commissioning groups, health and wellbeing boards, local Healthwatch organisations, clinical senates, commissioning support units, CQC, etc.

The guides have now been refreshed. The London guide can be found on LVSC's website. New additions to the London guide comprise information about the Transformation Team in London, the London Health & Care Collaborative as well as the two London vanguards. Even though every attempt is made to update all contacts, you could really help us by checking the details in your area and let me know if there have been any recent changes. You can contact me via email: sandra@lvsc.org.uk

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Moving forward together - a VCSE funding /invest to save think piece from LVSC: reminder and update

If you missed it last month, you may want to read my recent article following our Whole Systems Change event in April this year.

The article describes lack of funding as one key issue emerging from the event for the voluntary, community & social enterprise sector (VCSE). It makes a case for a sustainable and transparent funding/commissioning strategy for the new models of care to work well and the need for the statutory sector including commissioners to invest to save. The article mainly uses social prescribing referrals as its context. It suggests a number of ways how funding issues might be addressed and describes some of the actions LVSC will take.

Following the publication of the article last month, I received a very useful response and additional information from Ross Diamond, CEO Redbridge CVS which I would like to share. Ross referred to the Redbridge First Response Service  – which is a version of social prescribing managed by Redbridge Council and including the NHS, Fire and Police as well as VCS organisations. Currently, the VCS organisations that receive referrals do not get specific funding – but Ross has been sharing information about social prescribing models (including the Rotherham evaluations) with their Clinical Commissioning Group,  Local Authority and Fairness Commission (which is currently underway and which he is a member of) and Ross thinks there is real potential to tweak the model to ensure that VCS organisations that receive referrals are funded to ensure they have the capacity to deliver the relevant early interventions. I will discuss with Ross how we can best share learning about social prescribing referral funding at a regional and national level including the CCGs and local authorities.

The article has also been shared nationally and NHS England will make use of it as part of the VCSE Review . The Patient & Public Partnership Lead at NHS England said she would "make sure it's pulled into part of the evidence gathering for the VCSE review and that the article fits in really well with the direction the review is going in".

The article is aimed at our Regional Voices' partners as well the wider voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, locally, regionally and nationally. It has also been shared with our statutory sector colleagues, including NHS England (see above), the vanguards, Commissioning Support Units, Academic Health Science Networks and other organisations and partnership bodies.

If you have any comments on the article and would like to share your views and good practice in London, please contact Sandra van der Feen at sandra@lvsc.org.uk

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London wide news

Seasonal flu plans for at risk groups – 2015-16: briefing for charities and patient groups

Here is the link to briefing for charities supporting at "at risk groups" and the targets NHS England hope to achieve.

Voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) organisations that support particular conditions or patient groups provide important routes to those members of the public who are at the most risk. NHS England would like them to encourage their members to get vaccinated. Public Health England will work closely with these organisations and provide communications materials (including key messages and cases studies relevant to that particular condition) that they can use to promote flu vaccine.  

The reason it is important to focus on key charities, for example, is that those with neurological conditions are approximately 40 times more likely to die if they develop flu than individuals who have no other underlying health condition.  Those with chronic liver disease are 48 times more likely to die. VCSE organisations looking after those with chronic liver and neurological disease will be encouraged to support the campaign this year.

Here is the link to the Public Health England Integrated Seasonal Flu Communications Strategy 2015-16. It sets out the overall communications strategy for this year's seasonal flu campaign to be launched on 5 October 2015. The vaccination programme involves a range of partners who need to work closely together and the strategy aims to provide clarity on roles and responsibilities, and defined audiences and it provides information on how we will aim to improve uptake across the groups who will be offered the vaccination in 2015/16.

Please cascade this to relevant contact, members, patient groups, etc especially VCSE organisations supporting people with specific underlying neurological conditions.

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Homehealth  Consultation

Age UK London are participating in a research project that University College London (UCL) are conducting into developing a support service for people with 'low level needs' at home. With the decreased budget, it is only those people with high level needs who are likely to be eligible for certain benefits so this represents a really interesting prospect for older people who may not be eligible but who are experiencing some increased difficulties in managing daily life.

UCL have opened the invitation to older people and/or carers of older people who are still living at home independently but are starting to feel that they are feeling more tired during the day, having increased difficulties in getting out or experiencing increased occurrences of memory loss and low mood.

This has the potential for significant impact so please register to have your say on how this service should look and on how it can be best put into practice. Please also forward on to any contacts you may have who fit the above description. Please note that places are limited so attendance needs to be booked and confirmed in advance.  
Refreshments will be provided.

Title: Homehealth Consultation
Date: Tuesday 18th August, 2015
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm (with refreshments)
Location: Age UK London, 1st Floor, 21 St Georges Road, London, SE1 6ES

Anyone interested should email Ben Donovan, Age UK London on bdonovan@ageuklondon.org.uk

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Working with UCLPartners - a chance to have your say

During July, NHS England has been conducting a survey of all Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), providing an opportunity for you to feedback on your experience of working with the AHSNs.

The survey aims to get a perspective on how the AHSNs are delivering nationally, but the results will also enable UCLPartners to improve delivery of their organisational goals at a local level.

This kind of feedback is vitally important to enable UCLPartners to adapt and improve as an organisation, so they would like as many people within the partnership as possible to complete it by 7th August. It takes only ten minutes to complete and all responses are anonymous. Take part in the survey here.

The survey is managed independently by YouGov on behalf of NHS England. All work is carried out in accordance with the Market Research Society Code of Conduct, in compliance with UK data protection legislation.

Beyond this survey, UCLPartners is always happy to receive the comments and suggestions from the partnership; these can be sent to contact@uclpartners.com at any time.

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The London Pathways Partnership launched

Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust (BEH) is one of four mental health trusts forming the London Pathways Partnership (LPP) which has launched its new website for health professionals and service users.

The LPP aims to work together to design and deliver services and treatments across criminal justice services in London and the south of England.  The group will work together to develop services which are easily accessible, deliver high quality cost effective care to support both service users and health professionals.
The LPP includes Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, East London NHS Foundation Trust, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.  All the partners have recognised expertise in delivering effective psychological approaches to complex high risk offenders. The LPP steering group comprises of mental health clinical leads and service directors to make key decisions and share comprehensive information on the criminal justice, health and third sector options available to make sure service users find themselves on faster and more efficient pathways.

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National news

2016 GSK IMPACT Awards - Core funding and free training for health charities

GSK's IMPACT Awards reward charities that are doing excellent work to improve people's health. Organisations must be at least three years old, working in a health-related field in the UK, with income between £25,000 and £2 million. Up to 20 awards will be made ranging from £3,000 to £40,000 plus free training valued at up to £6,000. Organisations will also have a film made, receive help with press and publicity and be given a set of promotional materials.

The Awards are funded by GlaxoSmithKline and managed in partnership with The King's Fund.
 
To apply or to view winners' films

Closing date: 25 September 2015

If you tweet, here is some suggested text:  #GSKIMPACTUK funding for health charities. To apply www.kingsfund.org.uk/gskimpactawards
 
A new film has been launched

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What work Centre for Wellbeing – New Economics Foundation (NEF)

The New Economics Foundation (NEF) are pleased to announce that they are part of the newly established What Works Centre for Wellbeing.

What Works is a UK government-funded initiative to enable a range of stakeholders to access independent, high quality, accessible evidence syntheses across a broad range of social policy areas, from crime reduction to health and social care and now to wellbeing.

In 2011, the Office for National Statistics began measuring wellbeing across the UK, and there is a growing movement to consider wellbeing as a key outcome of policy and service delivery. The question now is how to use the data, and other evidence on wellbeing, to create better policies and practices. The new What Works Centre for Wellbeing aims to answer this question, bringing together robust evidence of what works and undertaking a knowledge mobilisation function to get that evidence to those areas and organisations that can use it to best effect.

Specifically, NEF are part of a consortium that is focusing on Community Wellbeing. Over the next three years, the consortium will be bringing together evidence on what community-level factors determine wellbeing. The aim is to identify steps that government, both central and local, as well as community organisations can take to improve wellbeing.

Over the next few months the consortium will be organising events and engaging with stakeholders in order to frame the scope of their research. They would like to include you in a contacts database for the What Works Centre for Wellbeing to keep in touch and invite you to relevant events. If you'd like to be on this list, please click here.

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Accessible Information Standard Update July 2015

NHS England would like to make you aware of some news concerning the 'making health and social care information accessible' project.  The Accessible Information Standard – known officially as SCCI1605 Accessible Information – has now been approved and published.

Further information is available on the NHS England website – in a range of alternative formats.
The formal Information Standards Notice is available on the Health and Social Care Information Centre website

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Further rollout of personal health budgets

Personal health budgets are one way to give people with long term health conditions and disabilities more choice and control over the money spent on meeting their health and wellbeing needs. Since October 2014 adults eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare and children receiving continuing care have had a right to have a personal health budget, and CCGs are now looking at who else in their local area could benefit from the option of one. NHS England recommends you speak to your Clinical Commissioning Group to find out more about their local plans for expanding the offer of personal health budgets.

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NHS Innovation Accelerator programme launched

NHS England's Chief Executive Simon Stevens and National Medical Director Sir Bruce Keogh have announced the successful applicants of the NHS Innovation Accelerator programme – a scheme to make evidenced healthcare innovations more widely available to patients. 17 healthcare pioneers from the UK and abroad will receive national support to roll out their technologies, processes and models of care to patients, hospitals and GP practices throughout England. The innovations will help to prevent diseases, speed up diagnosis, improve safety and efficiency of services and increase patient participation in decision making, self-management and research.

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Latest results of the GP Patient Survey

NHS England has published the latest results of the GP Patient Survey. The survey sought the views of over two and a half million people every year about their experience of GP services and NHS dentistry. The survey produces a database that can be used to identify good practice and opportunities to improve patient experience across a range of local services. The results for every individual GP practice in England can be found, with a new practice comparison tool, on the GP Patient Survey website.

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Launch of the Cancer Taskforce strategy

The Cancer Taskforce recently launched its strategy. It considers how to deliver better prevention, swifter diagnosis and improved treatment and care for all cancer patients. All of the priorities highlighted in the strategy seek, in some form, to address inequalities in cancer, to achieve a world class cancer service for everyone in England.

PHE has also just published the third National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) report on cancer and equality groups. This report collates the existing data on inequality and cancer.

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SACN report on carbohydrates and health

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) final report on carbohydrates and health, published in July recommended a significant cut to the amount of sugars people consume as part of their daily calorie intake - halved from 10% to 5%. The report also recommends that consumption of sugar sweetened drinks is minimised and fibre increased.

The recommendation on sugars represents a huge challenge to the population, the government and industry, as both young people and adults already exceeded the previous recommendation. Given the serious health implications of being overweight or obese, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, PHE is urging parents to take action now, starting with sugary drinks.

SACN's findings are the first wide ranging look at the relationship between sugar consumption and health outcomes in the UK since the 1990s. The report found consuming sugary drinks is leading to unhealthy weight gain in children and young people. For children, too much sugar is linked with a greater risk of tooth decay. In adults, it leads to them consuming too many calories.

When SACN published its draft report in June 2014, PHE embarked on a review of possible measures to reduce sugar consumption, including reformulation, marketing and promotions of high-sugar food and drink, and fiscal measures, looking at the impact they could have. The government asked PHE to use the evidence from this review to advise on actions it could take to lower sugar consumption, informing its wider obesity and diabetes strategy. PHE is finalising this evidence review and will publish it later this summer.

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Fundraiser

Tom Owen, LVSC volunteer is doing the Diamond Triathlon in September (1500m swim, 40km cycle, 10km run) to raise funds for LVSC - go Tom and thanks. We know you can do it!

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Posts

Policy and Project Manager – Sector Support LVSC
Ref. SS/02/15

Part-time, 28 hours per week, initially until 31 March 2017 dependant on funding.

£30,311 plus London Weighting per annum (pro-rata).

Based in London.    

LVSC's vision is of a vibrant and sustainable city where lives of Londoners are enhanced through voluntary and community action.

We are seeking an experienced Policy and Project Manager to take forward our work supporting the voluntary and community sector in London, primarily through the London for All capacity building project funded by London Councils. Main duties include supporting and managing networks, devising project delivery, monitoring and project management and working with stakeholders to develop policy and research.  Experience of partnership working is essential.

Closing date:  Friday 7 August 2015.

Interviews:  Wednesday 19 August 2015.

To request an application pack please e-mail cleo@lvsc.org.uk.

LVSC encourages applications from people of all backgrounds and would specifically welcome applications from people with protected characteristics, which are age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, race, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity

Vacancy link on LVSC website
London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC), based in Kings Cross, brings voluntary and community sector organisations together to learn and share best practice and to create a co-ordinated voice

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Job Role: Development Officer – Islington Black and Minority Ethnic Forum

Part time: 14 hrs per week
Pro rata Salary: NJC Scale 6: £26,342 -£27,877 (including London Weighting)
7 month contract (with potential for extension)
Start date: September 2015 – March 2016

Every Voice is recruiting a Development Officer for Islington BME Forum. Islington BME Forum is a network bringing together Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community organisations to address inequalities affecting local communities. The Forum facilitates dialogue, collaboration and partnerships between BME VCS organisations and other service providers and statutory bodies, in order to influence local policy and services and achieve race equality in the borough.
Key areas of responsibility are to provide

  • Outreach to community organisations
  • Administration and communication
  • Campaigns and policy support and development
  • Coordinating and attending wider voluntary and statutory network meetings
  • Facilitating partnerships and coordinating projects
  • Community consultations and reporting
  • Coordinating capacity building for BME organisations

To apply
 

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ABOUT REGIONAL VOICES This e bulletin is published monthly by LVSC as the London region member of Regional Voices.

Regional Voices Logo

Regional Voices champions the work of voluntary and community organisations to improve health, well-being and care, across England. Regional Voices is a partnership of nine regional networks. Together, we directly connect to over 25,000 voluntary and community organisations. Our coverage is broad, deep and well-established. Our vision is for a society where voluntary and community organisations are connected with decision-makers at all levels, able to influence policy and improve community health, care and well-being through better services.

Regional Voices partnership is hosted by Involve Yorkshire and Humber,Registered charity number 1127119   |   Company registration number 6752034

London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC)

Registered charity number 276886   |   Company registration number 1395546

We try to check all the information in this bulletin and the web sites it links to, but we cannot accept responsibility for the contents of the websites and articles or guarantee their validity. Links should not be taken as an endorsement of any kind.

Telephone: 020 7832 5830   |   Email: info@lvsc.org.uk   |    Opt out of all LVSC mailings

Our Vision and Services

Our vision is of a society where no one should experience discrimination on the grounds of their mental health.

Mental health problems are extremely common across society, with one in four of us experiencing them in any year. Despite being so common, people from all communities will still experience discriminatory attitudes and behaviours that can prevent people from speaking out, seeking support and playing full and active roles in our communities. The impact of mental health stigma and discrimination will vary between communities as mental health has a cultural context that affects the way communities talk about the subject and engage with people who have mental health problems. In some cultures depression, for example, doesn't exist and in others an experience of a mental health problem can be attached to a sense of shame.

For the African and Caribbean communities a key issue is the overrepresentation of young African and Caribbean men in mental health services. Misconceptions and stereotypes have led to a perception that this group is more likely to pose a risk of violent behaviour and, as a result, they are more likely to be treated as inpatients and sectioned when compared to other groups. It is well documented that this has led to a fear of talking about mental health issues more openly and a fear of using mental health services. Research by the Race Equality Foundation (2011) also highlighted fears that discrimination against Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) communities and migrant service users will increase in the austerity climate and whilst commissioning arrangements change.

Our Services

· Provide information, advice, advocacy

· Represent diversity communities in Health Care services, policies and strategies

· Organise training in health and social care in collaboration with local colleges

· Provide human resources ( including interpreters) who are suitable to the diversity communities especially to break language and cultural barriers

· Provides domiciliary care and support

· Provide services such specialised support for people with mental health needs, including people who suffer from short-term memory problems, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

· Provide visits to elderly people and help them with outings and home services

· Participate in local authority and NHS consultations , research events and programmes to voice the needs of diversity communities.

· Increase access to services and rights for disadvantaged people and the most vulnerable of our society

· Help and support unemployed people to look for work, including training and job preparation

· Provide legal advice in a range of issues from on Immigration and Asylum , welfare benefits, housing, health, education, community care, and training, employment, etc.

· Provide advice and guidance, information and practical help so that our service users can access opportunities they are entitled to

· Organise training and other community learning opportunities that provide new skills, increase confidence and motivation

· Support our service users to overcome barriers to learning, employment and training

· Provide support for young people with their education, training, confidence building, employment and social needs.

Objectives of our Diversity Living Programme:

· To promote the inclusion and participation of diversity communities* in integrated care.

· To inform policy, locally and nationally, and assisting in the formulation of effective policies, strategies and good practices in integrated care in order to contribute to improved health outcomes for the people from the diversity communities (e.g. Black and minority ethnic communities) and to ensure health services are able to meet their specific needs.

· To improve the quality of life for diversity people with disability, mental health problems and their families and carers through integrated care by providing inclusive advocacy and information.

· To provide service that enable diversity groups and individuals with disability /elderly and their carers to make the right choice for themselves and have an influence on decisions made about their future.

· To promote the rights of diversity people with disability, their families and carers and make sure their rights are safe and protected.

· To promoting access to information regarding healthcare issues and to raise awareness of the needs of diversity disabled children, young people, older people and their families.

· To promote the rights of older and disabled diversity people, helping them overcome and enable them to participate in decisions about their future

· To provide support and information to those suffering the isolation and loneliness that can be associated with disability and old age

· To fight against mental health stigma in refugee, black and minority ethnic communities and ensure no one should experience discrimination on the grounds of their mental health or disability.

*Diversity communities are older people, disabled people, Black, Asian, refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and other ethnic minorities.