Staff Accommodation Forum Update – June

Housing Strategy (to include VCS) to set out some solutions. The meeting discussed the difficulties staff have accessing affordable housing. Districts, County and ICB are all committed to finding solutions. Need for subsidies discussed but no solutions.

Some long term plans from NHS England re key worker housing. However, nothing immediate. Workshop to discuss further in July.

Housing providers set policy and group agreed it is within their power to plan in housing for key workers but very long term. Everything comes down to a shortage of housing for everyone. Short term solutions extremely challenging.

Financial models discussed. Trust-based model and Key-worker model being trialled by the SouthWest. Lots of complicated discussions about developers and local authority housing provision. Might be potential for VCS to access key worker housing but very long term. Group agreed ‘follow with interest and adopt at the right time’.

Staff housing survey – 417 responses therefore extended deadline.

I am not sure that representation at this group is a priority for the HA as the focus is very much on health staff and international recruits.

Staff travel and congestion charge proposal was touched on. Agreement to make one response from ICB, I gained agreement that the VCS be included. Jess Pickman/Iain Green taking forward.

• Jess Pickman introduced to Kirsten at ACRE re including findings from rural housing needs in Housing Strategy (completed by SS)
• SS to link in with Jess and Iain re congestion charge response
• SS to further promote staff housing survey