VCSE Health Alliance – Update Bulletin – October 2023
October 2023
Help with your workforce
The Health Alliance meeting in September focussed on the workforce. Sharon Allen, CEO of Arthur Rank Hospice and our rep on the ICB People’s Board, co-chaired the meeting and facilitated the involvement of ICB colleagues. Those who came along were able to hear about the ICB commitment to ‘One Workforce’ and discuss how we make this work for our sector. A key to this will be to explore how we collect and share data.
We also learnt that VCSE organisations will be able to equally access ICB initiatives that are being put in place to help recruitment and retention – watch this space for more details. We will be taking forward the agreed actions and revisiting them at a future meeting.
Question: Can your organisation or group contribute some very simple headline data about your workforce? This will help the ICB understand our sector and see us as integral to health and care provision.
Contact debbie@huntsforum.org.uk
Since the meeting, we have been notified of an opportunity for VCSE organisations to participate in a work and health employers conference next spring. The idea is to bring together examples of great practice and discuss the issues employers experience in supporting staff wellbeing. This will contribute to the ICS work, health and wellbeing strategy. To find out more email Nicola Ward: nicola.ward68@nhs.net
Smaller organisations and community groups
As we all know our sector is incredibly diverse; in size, communities supported, services provided and geography. This is the richness that makes the sector so very valuable but at the same time, brings a challenge around partnership. How can we meaningfully engage with the broad spectrum that is the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector? If you are a small group, we want to hear your ideas and how we can work better for you.
Contact sandie@huntsforum.org.uk
Social prescribing and JOY app improvements
The findings from the social prescribing survey have been combined with feedback from members and written up as a report. This is now being shared with ICB colleagues to identify and progress a number of improvements. The Health and Wellbeing Network will continue its information sessions to help us connect with social prescribers and improve our understanding of the app.
The next Health and Wellbeing Network meeting is on 17th October from 12-1pm on zoom. Megan McGrath will be talking about the JOY app. Join the meeting to find out more about the app and how participating can benefit your organisation. To reserve a place please use the link below (note we have moved to Microsoft Forms).
https://forms.office.com/e/eJdZmdeNDY
Project proposals, please!
We all know how frustrating it is to receive notice of funding with short turnaround times. That’s why we have sent around a project proposal form. This will help us compile a bank of ready-to-go projects. Please complete and return with your ideas. We’ll keep this open until the end of November and then take stock of what you have sent us.
Health Alliance meetings
Here are the dates of our future meetings, please do put them in your diary. We have tried to get a mix of times, locations and formats to enable as many people as possible to get involved. You’ll see that we are alternating themes with the general Health Alliance business.
A number of members have requested a meeting focussing on health inequalities and this has been scheduled for December. If you would like to suggest a theme please contact sandie@huntsforum.org.uk. We are also keen to get members to Co-Chair meetings on their theme of interest.
- 18th October 9.30-11.30 Health Alliance business Zoom
- 6th December 1-3pm Health inequalities Zoom
- 17th January 1-3 Health Alliance business March Library
- 28th February 9.30-11.30 Theme to confirm Zoom
- 17th April 1-3 Health Alliance business Peterborough
- 22nd May 10-12 Theme to confirm St Ives Corn Exchange
More members, please!
And lastly, please pass this newsletter on to your team and other groups and organisations who may not yet be Health Alliance members. Anyone wishing to join should email Debbie Debbie@huntsforum.org.uk.
See here for more information about the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Health Alliance. (You’ll see we have updated our webpage please do let us have any feedback)
