EU referendum: Potential implications for the North West

The North West Leaders Board, which comprises of local authority leaders from the region along with other representatives including VSNW Chief Executive Warren Escadale, have issued a report on the implications of leaving the EU for the North West.

It identifies a number of issues associated with the planned referendum, and the possibility of a vote to leave
the EU, that are of particular relevance to the North West. The report aims to inform debate on this issue in advance of the planned referendum, the outcome of which will have significant implications both nationally and locally. It also includes recommendations for reform should we remain in the EU.

There was also a recent NCVO paper on the referendum which you can find on their website - https://www.ncvo.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/1334-ncvo-discussion-paper-explores-implications-of-eu-membership-for-charities?highlight=WyJyZWZlcmVuZHVtIl0=

New Regional Voices briefing: VCSE Review Recommendations

Regional Voices, of which VSNW is a member, has published a new summary of the recommendations of the VCSE Review. The review examined role of the VCSE in improving health, wellbeing and care outcomes.

The report is based on the largest ever review of the voluntary sector's involvement in statutory health and social care, urges hospitals, clinical commissioning groups and councils to do more to involve expert charities in the design and delivery of services of all kinds. 

The summary includes the 28 report recommendations covering issues including social prescribing, volunteering, transparency and funding to support the sector.

Inclusive Growth analysis tool launched by JRF

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, in conjunction with the University of Manchester, has launched a new inclusive growth tool that monitors LEPs nationwide on both prosperity and inclusion.   

The initial report’s findings, which compare prosperity and inclusion scores for 2010-14 based on a composite of eighteen indicators, suggest that there is little correlation between prosperity and inclusion in the UK (see image below).

Figures for the North West LEPs indicate a mixed bag- while changes in both prosperity and inclusion in Cheshire & Warrington and Cumbria were better than average, Liverpool City Region and in particular Lancashire performed quite badly. Greater Manchester had a high prosperity score for the period yet it was in the bottom quartile for inclusion. 

The monitor will be updated by the Inclusive Growth Analysis Unit, which is a joint venture between JRF and the University of Manchester, headed by Ruth Lupton of the university. The GM VCSE Devolution Reference Group met with Ruth in May, and will be working with her to ensure that the voices of communities are adequately reflected in the unit’s work.

The tool will complement the RSA’s Inclusive Growth Commission and the Greater Manchester Growth and Inclusion Review, which have both launched recently. 

More information on the Inclusive Growth Analysis Unit can be found on the University of Manchester’s website.

Review of partnerships and investment in the voluntary sector

The final report of the VCSE Review, Joint review of partnerships and investment in voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in the health and care sector, has been launched. You can access a copy of the report here.

The review has been conducted in partnership between the Department of Health, Public Health England, NHS England and representatives from the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector including Regional Voices, of which VSNW are a member.

The aim of the review was to:

• describe the role of the VCSE sector in improving health, wellbeing and care outcomes
• identify the challenges and opportunities in realising the sector’s potential
• address these challenges and maximise the opportunities

The report makes recommendations for government, health and care system partners, funders, regulatory bodies and the VCSE sector. It emphasises putting wellbeing at the centre of health and care services, and making VCSE organisations an integral part of a collaborative system.

A blog by Alex Fox, the review’s chair, can be found here: blog on the VCSE Review site

New report - Independence in Question

Independence in Question is the fifth annual assessment of the state of health of the voluntary sector, following on from the final report the Panel on the Independence of the Voluntary Sector published in February 2015. The report was published by Civil Exchange with the support of the Baring Foundation and the Lankelly Chase Foundation.

The report warns that the independence of the charity sector is at a five year low, leaving an unhealthy imbalance between community, private sector and state power and the sector in a critical position, and it calls for united action by the voluntary sector to stave off potential further threats.

The report also highlights how the new ‘no advocacy’ clauses in all taxpayer funded grants announced in February 2016 mark a key shift in the balance of voices shaping public policy. The input of grass root and expert voluntary organisations ensures all voices in society can be heard, the report argues, and is especially important at a time of massive changes in services and benefits. It documents a range of challenges that are weakening the voluntary sector including unsupportive statutory funding and contracting arrangements, and challenge to the independent purpose of some charities caused partly by commercialisation which may affect the distinction between the sector and the private and public sectors.

Link
Independence in Question: the voluntary sector in 2016

Untapped potential: Bringing the voluntary sector’s strengths to health and care transformation

New Philanthropy Capital was commissioned by the Richmond Group of Charities and a wider group of partners to conduct an evidence review to inform their Doing the Right Thing project, which aims to shape health and care system reform by showcasing the voluntary and community sector’s added value. The Untapped Potential report is now available.

The research involved the assessment and aggregation of 175 findings from evaluations submitted by the project partners, qualitative research to understand how to integrate the voluntary sector’s offer into the future health and care system and the design of frameworks for a shared language - to help charities describe their work and its value, and to give commissioners and policymakers a way to identify the aspects of charities’ work that most clearly match their needs. The priorities of the NHS Five Year Forward View were central to all aspects of the research and analysis.

The research shows that charities can add value to the health and care system in a range of ways and that charities have a legitimate role in the transformation of the NHS and the wider health and care system in the coming years. However, to achieve this, both the VCS and the statutory system must change their behaviour.

The full report is available from the NPC website - http://www.thinknpc.org/publications/untapped-potential/

EU referendum: NCVO guide

The EU referendum result could have implications for the people and causes you support, your mission, and the work that you do.

NCVO have produced a new guide for trustees and senior managers which highlights elements of the current debate that they think are particularly relevant to charities.

It also contains some of the key questions to consider if your charity is considering entering the referendum debate:

EU referendum: A discussion paper for charities

Launch of Equality Delivery System for the NHS (EDS2): Guide to Engagement with the Local Voluntary Sector

The Race Equality Foundation, in partnership with the LGBT Foundation, Disability Rights UK, and Men's Health Forum have launched the Equality Delivery System for the NHS (EDS2): Guide to Engagement with the Local Voluntary Sector. This guide was commissioned by NHS England and was developed in collaboration with service users, voluntary and community organistions, and key stakeholders from Foundation Trusts, Healthwatch England, NHS Employers, CCGs and the Care Quality Commission.

This guide explores how the local voluntary and community sector can help NHS organisations to engage communities and, by extension, implement EDS2 better. The voluntary and community sector are often well-placed to help NHS organisations as they have links and expertise with specific communities that health services may have difficulties in engaging with.

An official launch of the guide is planned for April and a copy can be downloaded now from the Race Equality Foundation website.

Better Data - Making the Third Sector Case for Health Improvement

The report of the Better Data research into how the third sector and public sector partners can effectively utilise and share data has been published. It calls for a national approach to help third sector organisations to use data resources to meet the needs highlighted by the NHS England Five Year Forward View. The Better Data agenda was developed in conjunction with Public Health England and Regional Voices delivery partner One East Midlands to help third sector organisations use publicly available data sources.

In the current financial climate, the need for organisations to demonstrate their worth to commissioners has never been greater. The key recommendation, based on telephone surveys with the Regional Voices network of third sector infrastructure organisations and Public Health England colleagues, is the development of a national approach to equip third sector organisations to access, understand and apply available tools and resources including the PHE knowledge and intelligence gateway and NICE guidance. This could be achieved through awareness raising sessions, sharing of good practice and information, and building the capacity of the third sector to engage with public sector partners. 

Download the Better Data report.