Regions Health Project

Withernsea & Southern Holderness Regeneration Partnership

The voluntary and community sector (VCS) plays an essential role in the health and social care agenda in Yorkshire and the Humber. A large proportion of the VCS organisations in the region deliver services that impact on this agenda, and opporunities for the wider sector to engage with the well being agenda are increasing. It is estimated that 54% of all people employed in voluntary adn community organisations (VCOs) work in social care – and 22% of volunteers are engaged in health and disability related activities.

A high proportion of VCOs engaged in health and care work are relatively small and will never be part of the commissioning and contracting market – yet they play a critical role in addressing health inequalities and improving public health and well-being.

The Regional Forum recognises and promotes the full breadth of the sector’s interest in this field from traditional health and social care service delivery organisations to community health activities, sports clubs and groups delivering a range of activities that have benefits on the mental, physical and emotional well being of our communities.

The Regional Forum is co-ordinating a new health focused project in Yorkshire and the Humber. The project is called Stronger Connections for Better Health and is part of a national project.

This project seeks to:

- develop mechanisms that will link third sector organisations in the regions with the Department of Health and the Strategic Health Authority.
- build the capacity and capability of the third sector to engage with the health and social care agenda.
- act as a critical friend to health decision makers in the region, and nationally, by providing co-ordinated responses to consultations and programmes.
- develop a regional health forum to bring together third sector organisations with an interest in health by facilitating communication and collaboration.

As part of a national partnership, which is formally recognised as a Strategic Partner to the Department of Health, this project represents a real opportunity for third sector organisations in the region to influence the Department of Health. Nationally we will be involved in advising the Department about key issues in the health and social care field, contributing towards health and well being and reducing health inequalities and disseminating information from the Department.

Initial priorities for the national project will include:

- improving the third sector’s understanding of commissioning processes
- developing the role for the sector in the personalisation agenda
- increasing understanding of health inequalities across the sector
- raising awareness of how emergencies such as the pandemic flu outbreak may affect the sector
- equality issues – including work to improvement assessment of how polices affect minority groups
- improving the way the sector works regionally and nationally around health.

For further information about Regional Voices and the national Strategic Partner programme visit http://www.regionalvoices.net

If you are interested in finding out more about the Stronger Connections for Better Health project please contact Ruth Beattie (Health Co-ordinator) or telephone 0113 394 2322.

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Upcoming Events

22/04/2010: "How the region works" - Regional Forum Information Session
Venue: Regional Forum, Leeds Time: 1.30pm - 4.00pm * Do you understand how governance structures work at the regional level? * Where does the voluntary and community sector fit in? *...

01/07/2010: Creating better futures awards 2010
Venue: Leeds For the last ten years Yorkshire Forward has worked with a wide range of partners to support community-based economic development. During this time we've seen many inspiring projects, ...