GM Health and Social Care Devolution Event Presentations

From April 2016 the Greater Manchester will take full responsibility for its devolved £6 billion health and social care budget. Nearly 100 people from VCSE organisations attended a GMCVO meeting on 27th January to discuss the five-year strategic plan for health and social care in Greater Manchester. The presentations from the event are now available.

The plan has been built on the content being developed out of ten locality (borough) plans submitted jointly by councils and the NHS, and is intended to improve the health and social care of people in Greater Manchester by putting more focus on prevention, whilst also addressing the funding shortfall of £2 billion predicted by 2021.

The event provided an opportunity for delegates to hear about the draft plan from Warren Heppolette, Strategic Director for Health and Social Care Reform Greater Manchester, and how Salford and the LGBT community have been involved. Towards the end of the session, the ‘assembly’ broke up into small groups to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the VCSE offer as participants in health and social care devolution.

Presentations given at the event were:

VSNW - GM VCSE Reference Group

Greater Manchester Combined Authority/NHS Manchester - Health and Care Voluntary Sector Strategic Partners

Salford CVS - A Salford perspective

Description of VCS Assembly

North West organisations shortlisted for the Social Value Awards

Individuals and organisations in the North West have been shortlisted for the UK’s first Social Value Awards that are sponsored by KPMG. The awards recognise and celebrate good practice in commissioning and providing social value.

The winners will be announced on 11th February during a ceremony at the Social Value Summit hosted by Interserve and Social Enterprise UK. Find out more about the event.

Shortlisted organisations and individuals

Social Value Leadership Award for an Organisation

• Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) Procurement Hub: AGMA consists of 10 local councils in the Greater Manchester region and has developed a social value policy and framework to address issues affecting the whole region

• Halton Borough Council consistently considers social value in decisions and has implemented a social value policy, framework and charter

• Durham County Council has invested in understanding their region’s priorities and how their own social value procurement can help to achieve these priorities

• Liverpool City Council has set social value as a priority from mayoral level down

Social Value Leadership Award for an Individual

• Laura Pechey of the charity HAGA, based in Haringey that works with and on behalf of people, families and communities affected by alcohol. Laura Pechey brought in specialist support to explore how to embed the Social Value Act locally

• Anne Lythgoe, Strategic Manager at Salford City Council, has been involved with delivering, monitoring and teaching social value principles for over 15 years

• Dave Sweeney, Director of Transformation at NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group and Halton Borough Council, has been instrumental in promoting the development of social value in Halton

Promoting and Mainstreaming the Social Value Act Award

• HACT is the housing sector’s innovation agency which supports the sector to build the skills to better understand social value

• Kier Group is a property, residential, construction and services group working with organisations to promote social value

• Landmarc Support Services has embedded social value into the management and operation of the Ministry of Defence’s UK Defence training estate

• The Social Value Portal is a social enterprise dedicated to building the capacity of both the public sector and business to implement the Social Value Act

• The Wates Group construction services company is committed to creating employment and training through trading with at least 1 social enterprise on every live construction project
   

Driving Value for Money Award

• Gloucestershire County Council embedded social value throughout the tender process when it went to market for a new IT services provider

• Data Performance Consultancy works with public authorities to develop social value frameworks to measure social value and provide best value for money

• Fusion21 is the national social enterprise that provides procurement and regeneration services to public sector members

More information about the shortlisted individuals and organisations can be found on the GOV.UK website.

NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans - NAVCA Briefing

NHS England requires every area to produce a Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) as part of the NHS Five Year Forward View. This presents a great opportunity for local infrastructure. STPs are local blueprints that every part of the country will need to produce for “accelerating its implementation of the Forward View”. The “most compelling and credible” STPs who will receive the earliest additional funding will be judged on the reach and quality of the local process, including community, voluntary sector and local authority engagement.

NAVCA have stated that a lot of members are finding health and CCGs an increasingly important source of support for local charities and community groups. If this is the case for you, no doubt you will already be involved in developing STPs. However, there are members who tell NAVCA they are struggling to get heard. STPs may give organisations a new opportunity to develop relationships with the partners in their local health and care system – as they will want to show they are engaging with the voluntary sector. The briefing will give an overview of STPs and suggest ways you can make the most from this opportunity.

Link
NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans briefing

The Economic and Social Benefits of Social Prescribing - The Rotherham Evaluation Report

The evaluation was carried out by Sheffield Hallam University on behalf of Voluntary Action Rotherham, and examined a three-year pilot programme in which GPs were allowed to refer people with long-term conditions to voluntary sector organisations. The report outlines the range of social and economic benefits that social prescribing has brought to the local community.

Social prescribing is a new term for non-medical services that aim to prevent worsening health for people with long-term health conditions. In recent years locality-based social prescribing services have increasingly been developed by health and social care commissioners to provide a mechanism for linking patients in primary care with sources of social, therapeutic and practical support in the voluntary and community sector. In Rotherham, the social prescribing service is delivered by Voluntary Action Rotherham (VAR) in partnership with more than 20 local voluntary and community organisations.

The annual evaluation report provides an assessment of the social and economic impact of the Rotherham Social Prescribing Service between September 2012 and March 2015. The results showed a reduction in demand for urgent hospital care, an increase in wellbeing and a range of positive, measurable social and economic benefits.

This information was previewed at the 2015 VSNW Conference in a workshop by Janet Wheatley from Voluntary Action Rotherham - a video of this workshop is available. In the video, Januet explains more about this work and some of the outcomes achieved.

Links

Rotherham Social Prescribing Summary Report
Rotherham Social Prescribing Full Evaluation Report

Taking charge of our Health and Social Care in Greater Manchester

In December 2015, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and NHS in Greater Manchester launched Taking charge of our Health and Social Care in Greater Manchester – the 5 year plan for health and social care

This can be found on their website - www.gmhealthandsocialcaredevo.org.uk

They have also produced an updated Powerpoint presentation to help explain the background to their work.

Also, the Health Foundation and the National Institute for Health Research have produced a paper entitled Devolving Health and Social Care in Greater Manchester:  Setting the Research Agenda FINAL Summary 

Locality and NAVCA Devolution Principles

Locality and NAVCA, together with their members in West Yorkshire, have produced a joint publication which outlines a set of five key principles that should underpin devolution

Devolution promises an opportunity to reimagine our economy, public services and democracy. Not only can it revive England’s local economies, it can also give people the power to transform their public services and improve where they live. There are well established voluntary and community sector organisations in every part of England that can help devolution achieve this.   

However, devolution has so far failed to involve people and communities. A top-down approach to devolution risks creating new layers of sub-regional decision makers that push influence, power and resources further away from people and communities. 

This is why Locality and NAVCA, together with their members in West Yorkshire, have developed a set of five key principles which should underpin devolution.

Key principles of devolution:

1. Creating a social economy. Devolution is an opportunity for creating an economy that works for the people in it, strengthening communities and prioritising social justice.
2. Representation of the voluntary and community sector within new leadership structures. Devolved structures should give local people a strong voice through their voluntary and community groups.
3. Ensuring accountability through effective community engagement. Strong and identifiable accountability to ensure power structures are responsive to the needs of communities.
4. Decisions taken at the most local level appropriate. Decision making and spending powers should be at the most appropriate local level, with devolved rights and responsibilities on managing budgets.
5. Working with local organisations to transform public services. Devolution is a key opportunity for public service innovation through local commissioning and delivery.

Using these principles to shape devolution in your area

In areas where devolution deals have either been announced or are expected, community-led organisations and local infrastructure charities can help involve local people and influence processes locally.

Some areas are running consultations on their deals such as the Sheffield City Region, which is currently seeking submissions. In Leeds, Voluntary Action Leeds organised a devolution roundtable for the local voluntary and community sector where the Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, Tom Riordan, spoke about these principles of devolution.

Voluntary and community sector organisations can use these principles as a framework for local discussions or in submissions to consultations on devolution for their area. They know that the picture is mixed in terms of engagement with voluntary and community organisations, which is why having a coherent message across the local voluntary and community sector is really important.

Local authorities can use these principles as a starting point for conversations with local voluntary and community sector organisations.

Devolution will deliver more for people and communities if it strengthens their involvement in local decision making. Working with local voluntary and community sector organisations is essential to making this happen.

More information can be found on the Navca website - http://www.navca.org.uk/blog/view/realising-the-revolution-

Collaborative Working: The Third Sector and the University of Liverpool

Knowsley CVS, other Merseyside social sector organisations and the University of Liverpool recently held a forum to discuss how the VCS and the university can collaborate more.

This collaboration could be;

• Developing joint research projects
• Adding skills and capacity to organisations using students whilst providing real work experience.
• Helping academics with their own thought leadership about major issues facing the sector.

Karl Wilding, Director of Public Policy at NCVO, suggested his own ideas about some of the big issues facing the sector where research and evidence could help and the rest of the session focussed on feedback from the sector advising the university on how it could make itself more accessible to the social sector, not least better communication about what is on offer and how /who to get in touch with.

Also, Knowsley CVS recently took advantage of a Knowledge Exchange programme with the university to carry out research into social value in Knowsley and they are in regular dialogue with all the local universities and Knowsley CC about volunteering opportunities for groups. A link to the social value report is attached below.

Link

Get Real - Social Value at Work in the Heart of Knowsley

Autumn Statement 2015 - CEO Overview and Briefing

Warren Escadale, VSNW CEO, gives his early thoughts on the meaning of the Autumn Statement.

"I'm not giving credence to the newspapers' 'phew, it's a scorcher/end of austerity' description, as clearly that is just nonsense. I've reflected on the following:

• Devolution and the future of councils;
• Concern about the Office for Civil Society;
• The charity coin; and
• Investment in early intervention.

Devolution and the future of local councils Deal or no deal: devolution, and the expansion of the growth/reform formula, are coming to you! My recent presentation to One East Midlands is attached below and gives our thoughts on devolution.

Devolution - VSNW's perspective

Looking back on the Autumn Statement, I thought there was little mention of devolution. After all, we'd seen 38 devolution deal submissions in the build-up, and only news about Liverpool City Region and the West Midlands. I was wrong. In confirming the shift from grants to business rate retention for councils, it really couldn't have been a bigger Devolution Spending Review!

Self-financing councils, underpinned by council tax income (which is generally a far lower proportion of budgets in areas of deprivation e.g. 17% in Liverpool versus a national average of 40%), will mean local authorities will be necessarily focused on increasing business rates. Councils will be, and will have to be, the leading local economic agencies.

In turn, and alongside the additional 24% of cuts facing councils over the next four years, this will inevitably mean widespread roll out of large Combined Authorities (CA). Councils will need to formally take control of their local economies and learn how to juggle the effective geographies of economic strategy and of neighbourhood implementation necessary for increasing growth and reducing welfare cost (while continuing to be effective local leaders, supporting local communities).

The brackets are intentional. This is a fundamental shift for councils and if TS Eliot or Foucault had been interested in such things, they may well have described it as a disassociation of civic identity. Or... In Greater Manchester, because of the 10 local areas (assuming alignment of councils and CCGs), this is called the 10 + 1 model (of thinking, principle and delivery). The interests of the CA alongside those of the 10 localities.

The missing element in devolution, to date, is a coherent, connected, community strategy. A devolution strategy with devolution in its heart! And this is very much what we need, as a sector, to develop and what we, as VSNW and Regional Voices, intend to help develop.

Office for Civil Society

So, there are big challenges and opportunities facing our sector. A chance to redefine our purpose, show our worth and create something truly functional, community-centred, beautiful and life changing. Given this, we need a clear plan of investment in the sector's role championing communities, developing delivery models, facilitating greater community participation in health and social care, and connecting communities to effective economic development opportunities.

Amazing as the National Citizen Service and social investment can be, these are not investment strategies built around harnessing and catalysing sector potential, but about building from scratch. These are not sector-owned strategies or strategies that reflect what we could and must achieve on behalf of communities. From these strategies, you very well might not realise that there's a significant sector in the UK, that could provide big answers (like putting communities at the heart of devolution). The trouble is, it has gotten to the point where we're beginning to believe this too! I'm sorry to say this, but Office for Civil Society (OCS) policy around our sector has reached an all time low in investment, imagination, and practicality. There's lots of good reasons, and no doubt many our own fault, that outline how we got here, but this - right now - just can't be right.

We very much need an OCS with an effective third sector strategy and funding available for it! And we need to create the political space around OCS in order to help create this change.

Political capital

I think, linked to defining "devolution", that there's a vitally important case for developing a newer, more emergent strategy for the sector that better fits what we, and our beneficiaries, need.

Sometimes it is hard to credit but we seem to have political capital; I won't say 'influence' as that would suggest that we control our own political capital. There were a number of things that were allowed to influence the Chancellor. IDS, tax credits, the state of social services, the views of the leader of Oxfordshire County Council and possibly the charitable sector: no lottery fund transfer, relatively minor effective cuts to the Charity Commission, lots of mentions for charities in the Chancellor's speech etc.

There is an emerging new take on our role in compassionate conservatism which means there's an opportunity, nationally, for us to make a new case for the future of our sector. I think a campaign based on getting simple messages to MPs based on the lessons from the VCSE Review should be a collective priority.

Early intervention

Where is the investment in early intervention? We've all talked a really good game on prevention and early intervention. Scientists, politicians, voluntary and public sector experts, neurologists, psychologists, parents, one and all. We did really well. We all agreed with one voice. And yet, not only are we not investing in this in any coherent tangible way, we're cutting any chance of it.

I know there are a number of really significant pilot programmes (new models of care vanguards, Well North, NHS England's social movement call), but these are relatively small scale. Even the Better Care Fund, with its upstream integration intentions, does not represent substantial investment. In contrast, the disinvestment in public health - the closest we have to early intervention, with its embedded understanding of community-centred approaches - makes it difficult to see how we can shift to medium and long term answers.

If the Office for Budgetary Responsibility anticipates significant further funding due to better than expected economic growth, please let's spend a good portion of it on early intervention, prevention and genuine demand management strategies and services."

Briefing

We have also produced a briefing on the main Autumn Statement headlines for the voluntary and community sector and for local government

The future of Liverpool City Region and the role of the local sector

The VS6 Partnership has written to congratulate the Chair of the Combined Authority on gaining a devolution deal for the Liverpool City Region. VS6 is a network which provides a focal point for Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) support providers to debate, influence and shape policy at the Liverpool City Region level. They work on behalf of the 8,000 VCFSE groups that work for local communities across the six local authority areas of the City Region.  

The Partnership has been working closely with VSNW and, for the benefit of local communities, has made a number of offers to support greater voluntary, community and social enterprise sector involvement in shaping the devolution agenda and public service reform workstreams moving forward.

Link
VS6 letter to Cllr Phil Davies Chair, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority