September 2025

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Voluntary Sector Network Update

‘Together for healthier communities’

Community and Mental Health Services review

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) is undertaking a review of community and mental health services across Cambridgeshire & Peterborough with the aim of assessing how they align with wider strategic objectives, including those set out in the Strategic Commissioning Plan 2025–28 and national 10 year plan. The first phase will cover Children’s and Family Community and Mental Health Services and Adult Community and Mental Health Services commissioned by the ICB from CPFT and CCS, including sub-contracted services. There will be a presentation about this review at the September VSN meeting. We have two spaces for VCSE representatives to join the review’s Steering Group and we will keep members updated on progress and implications for our sector.

Health Inequalities Information Statement Data Pack

Colleagues at the ICB have collated this pack of health inequalities data which you may find helpful. Whilst it is rather a large pack to digest, there is a helpful summary table that could be used for quick reference. This data pack is part of the ICS Strategic Outcomes Framework, which some of you may remember was presented to the VSN December meeting. We hope members will be able to use some of this data for funding applications and monitoring submissions; bringing to life the statistics with people’s needs and experiences.

Homelessness Charter

A collaboration between public, private, non-profit and community organisations from across Cambridge has launched a Charter to End Homelessness and is calling on everyone who lives and works in the area to support this work by signing the charter. They are asking for support from individuals as well as organisations. You can find out more about the Charter on their website: https://cambridgehomelessnesscharter.org.uk/

Building relationships with hospitals and community providers

At our last meeting we heard from Jessica Brocklehurst, Strategy & Innovation Director for North West Anglia Foundation Trust (NWAFT) about their Clinical Strategy. We had a great discussion and Jessica came away with ideas for working with our sector. We are now looking at setting up workshops to develop these ideas. Watch out for more on this. We are also making links with other Trusts to offer similar opportunities. We will be hearing more from NWAFT about their development plans at our September meeting.

Creative Health Showcase Plus

We are taking the idea of showcases, that have been so successful in the past and developing into a more comprehensive session which will include national experts and opportunities for Q&As. Watch out for the first of these in October, we will be inviting all our members and partner colleagues.

How does the health system work?

A little reminder that there is a presentation on our webpage of the structure of our current health system.