Dear colleague,

Welcome to the February / March 2015 edition of our monthly health ebulletin bringing you news from LVSC, Regional Voices (of which LVSC is a constituent member), the Department of Health, Public Health England and NHS England.

Our ebulletins regularly include information from the voluntary & community sector (VCS) in London.
Where relevant, ebulletins also contain policy related news about London - e.g. from the Greater London Authority, NHS England (London region), Health Academic Science Networks, etc.

If you wish to discuss any items to be included in future bulletins, please feel free to contact me.

Kind regards

Sandra

Sandra van der Feen

Policy Officer, LVSC

LVSC news

Whole Systems Change - Co-producing  New Models of Health and Care in London

Date: Thursday 16 April, 2- 5pm
Venue: Human Rights Action Centre

Take part in LVSC's exciting new event which will explore co-production between the voluntary & community sector (VCS), local communities, patient bodies and the statutory and academic sectors in shaping and delivering new models of primary and community care as outlined in the NHS Five Year Forward View and the London Health Commission Better Health for London report.

You are kindly requested to register one person per organisation only. Early booking is also recommended as we are receiving a lot of interest for this event.

More information and registration

Useful related information /links to documents below:

• London Mayor's response to London Health Commission's Better Health for London report
• Help us shape our health priorities: LVSC roundtable event report
• Interim report: Whole Systems Integrated Care Patient Engagement - Healthwatch Central West London and Kensington & Chelsea Social Council
• London Clinical Senate: Supporting Young Adults to Self-Care: Call for Evidence
• Implementing the NHS Five Year Forward View (Kings Fund)
• " The right partnerships - a Strategic Partner response to the NHS England - Five Year Forward View - Strategic Partners.

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Help us shape our health priorities: roundtable event report

LVSC / Community Voices for Health recently held a roundtable event to identify possible areas for co-production between the CV4H, the public, the voluntary & community sector (VCS), academic and private sectors on health and care issues in London. The event also explored the role of the CV4H network in the new health and care landscape. Download the report.

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At your fingertips: datasets and indicators training - Public Health England

This LVSC /Public Health training is aimed at VCS Healthwatch reps on the Health & Wellbeing Boards but the wider voluntary & community sector is also welcome to register.

Date: Friday 27 March, from 10 am - 1 pm (registration from 9.30am)
Venue: Voluntary Action Islington, 200a Pentonville Road, London, N1 9JP

If you register, you will need to bring a laptop as this is a practical hands-on training session. Please contact if that poses a problem.

The objectives of the training are to

• develop an understanding of the broad range of indicators and datasets available within the fingertips tools;
• enable participants to use these tools to understand and compare local authority health outcomes over time
• to be able to export the dataset behind the tools and use in your local setting

More information and registration

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London Health, Wellbeing and related forums' directory

LVSC has recently compiled this directory in MS Excel.  It isn't intended as a comprehensive directory of health, wellbeing, care and related forums in London but we hope to expand it over time. At present it includes information on health and wellbeing, BME & equality, mental health, refugees, interfaith and LGBT organisations.

Please help us keep it up to date by letting know of any changes or additions.

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London news

Mayor publishes response to London Health Commission

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has published his response to the London Health Commission's report 'Better Health for London', committing to personally chair the board tasked with delivering the plan and announcing a £250,000 cash boost for his London Healthy Workplace Charter.

Chaired by Lord Ara Darzi, the independent Commission set up by the Mayor in September 2013, was tasked with investigating ways to improve London's health and healthcare. The result - 'Better Health for London' - proposed over 60 recommendations and ten ambitions for the capital covering issues such as improving children's health, encouraging healthier lifestyles and making London's healthcare services work better for Londoners.

Improving the health of London's workforce is among the ambitions outlined in the report and the Mayor announced a £250,000 boost for his London Healthy Workplace Charter, which works with employers across the capital to encourage staff to be more active and take healthier lifestyle choices.

Almost 14 million working days a year are lost to sickness absence in London with research showing that an average London firm of 250 employees can lose almost £5,000 a week due to sickness absence. Physically active workers take 27 per cent fewer sick days than non-physically active counterparts so improving health and wellbeing of staff not only saves money by reducing levels of absence, but can also boost economic output.

The extra cash will be used to engage over 1,000 London-based employers over the next two years who will join the 44 organisations, employing almost 140,000 people that are already signed up the Charter.

As part of his response the Mayor also accepted a recommendation to 'personally chair a group and prepare a unified delivery plan' for the report by continuing to act as chair for a refocused London Health Board which will oversee delivery of the report's aspirations.

The Board, a partnership between London's boroughs, the NHS and the Mayor of London will now focus on progressing improvements in London's health, health inequalities and making the case for the investment London needs in health and care services and the wider determinants of health.

To read the Mayor's full response  please visit the GLA website.

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Partners for Health - Grant Programme

London Catalyst and the Hospital Saturday Fund have come together to launch a new 'Partners for Health' grant programme. Grants of up to £10,000 will be considered for social action projects tackling the effects of poverty and health inequalities in London.

'Partners for Health' is open to community groups that can demonstrate a thoughtful response to local needs and partnership with an expert health agency. There is a particular interest in the areas of mental health and addiction.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is Friday 29 May 2015. The application form and guidance can be downloaded here - click on the 'Partners For Health' link in the opening paragraph of their Special Interest Grants.

If you would like any further detail please contact . Ian works part time, normally on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Director, , can also be contacted to answer questions about this programme -direct telephone number is 020 7021 4631020 7021 4631 .

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University College London Partners (UCLPartners) Quality Forum

UCL Partners would like to invite you to the next Quality Forum, hosted by Prof Kay Riley & Dr Steve Ryan from Barts Health NHS Trust, where they will focus on learning from patients, and building services around patients' needs & preferences.

Time and venue are: Friday 20th March 2015 from 14:00-16:55 in the UCLPartners Board Room, 170 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7HA.

Annie Laverty, Director of Patient Experience at Northumbria Health, will speak about Northumbria's work to understand and act on what matters most to patients (for which they won HSJ Provider Trust of the Year 2013).
Deborah Kelly, from Barts Health, will show how BH are involving patients, carers and the public in designing and improving services, and Laura Stuart, who leads UCLP's Frailty work will describe I'm Still Me, an initiative to understand what matters to elderly people in terms of the support and services they want. They will also have a small "People's Panel to seed reflection and discussion.

Please register via EventBrite

Registration takes less than 2 minutes and UCLPartners very much encourage you to register early as places are limited by venue capacity; previous forums have always been oversubscribed.

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Interim report: Whole Systems Integrated Care Patient Engagement - Healthwatch Central West London and Kensington & Chelsea Social Council - Feb 2015

North West London is one of 14 pioneer areas selected to lead the way in Developing innovative approaches to delivering better joined up care. As part of North West London's Integrated Care programme, the West London Clinical Commissioning Group (WLCCG) is developing Whole Systems Integrated Care, initially for over 75 year olds.

This ambitious initiative will develop a model of care that achieves integration across health, social services and the voluntary sector with the aim of producing better outcomes and experience for patients.

As part of the process to develop a new model of care, WLCCG commissioned Healthwatch Central  West London and the Kensington & Chelsea Social Council to conduct the Patient and Voluntary Sector engagement element of the work. This report focuses on Phase 1: Patient Engagement. The aims of Phase 1 were twofold. Firstly to explore what over 70 year olds and their carers thought of the Health care, including GP, and social care services they were currently receiving. Secondly the study sought their views on elements under consideration for the development of a whole systems integrated care service for over 75 year olds.

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Healthwatch from across North, Central and East London recruiting Deaf people (BSL users) to join an Enter & View pilot project

Want to volunteer and help monitor the quality of health and social care services?

What is Enter and View?
The Enter and View programme is an important part of the way Healthwatch's work. Representatives can visit and report on premises where health and social care services are being used by residents such as hospitals, GP Practices and care homes for example.

The People they Need
Healthwatch is currently recruiting deaf volunteers who use British Sign Language. They recognise that BSL users are one of the most underrepresented groups within their organisations. This pilot project has been commissioned to enable them to understand and support deaf people and reduce barriers to inclusion.

By involving Deaf people who currently use health and social care services they hope to ensure greater feedback to the NHS and Local Authorities and take note of what is happening in places where problems have been reported, or where examples of interesting or good practice can be made known and publicised.

Training
Training and support will be given. Healthwatch are working closely with the British Deaf Association (BDA) to ensure all support is appropriate.

More information

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Supporting Young Adults to Self Care: Call for Evidence

The NHS Five Year Forward View highlighted the need to offer "opportunities for better health through…supported self-care". In addition both the London Clinical Senate Forum and the work of the London Health Commission identified self-care as a major priority for the health system in London.

The London Clinical Senate has established a Self-Care Programme Board to undertake an evidence review and deliver a series of engagement events across London to identify standards of good practice for commissioning self-care programmes for young adults with long term conditions.

In order to effectively manage long term conditions London Clinical Senate recognise that support is needed outside traditional health services, so they would like to hear from as wide a range of sectors that are involved in commissioning or providing services or supporting young adults to live well as possible. It is also important for the Senate to hear from individuals to understand their experiences of self-care.

Please respond to the call for evidence and circulate it amongst your contacts and networks.

Evidence should be submitted to by 10 April.

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London Mayor Breathe Better Together - Awareness Campaign

Between three and eight times a year, London's air pollution is particularly high. On these days, you can protect yourself and others by avoiding the car and using backstreets to walk and cycle instead. Being aware is the first step. To help, you can get free email and text alerts when air pollution is high. By signing up, you'll also get simple tips and information to help you reduce your exposure.

Read more from this link.

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Regional Voices news

VCSE Funding Review and other public funds that have an impact on health

Even though the VCSE Funding Review is now closed, Regional Voices hope that you will share your response to the report once it is published. Further dialogue will help us to continue to make the case for what the VCSE sector can offer. Regional Voices will be keeping the website live for this discussion and encourage you to share your views and examples of good practice.

Jo Whaley one of the Regional Voices' coordinators has also written a blog about this which can be found on the Regional Voices VCSE funding webpage: "The time has come...."

Bite-size Guide to Grants Launched

Grants are a fundamentally important part of the funding mix for voluntary sector organisations. However, in the post-Health and Social Care Act commissioning landscape there has been some confusion about the roles of grants and mechanisms for grant funding  (see  research from Regional Voices' partner RAISE: Exploring the Potential of the CVS-CCG Partnership).

NHS England recently launched the Bite-size Guide to Grants (with input from Regional Voices), aiming to support clinical commissioners better understand this vital funding mechanism. We hope that you will find it useful in your work with CCGs. This is part of our wider work to support the VCS with health commissioning:

• Supporting NHS England to pilot a model grant agreement http://www.regionalvoices.org/grants (in 15/16)
• Working with NHS England and other Health and Care Voluntary Sector Strategic Partners to develop a lighter touch NHS Standard Contract for use with the voluntary sector
• Taking part in the department of health/NHS England/Public Health England VCSE funding review- and encouraging you to do the same
• Helping to develop a more VCSE friendly funding environment.

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National news

Winterbourne Review - Transforming Care Two Years On

Transforming Care Two Years on is a collective account from partners across the health and care system to reflect the cross-system effort that has continued over the past year to tackle the root causes of the abuse and treatment of people at Winterbourne View.

Next steps and Transforming Care Two Years On - easy read

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Population health systems: going beyond integrated care - Kings Fund

Integrated care has become a key focus of health service reform in England in recent years, as a response to fragmentation within the NHS and social care system.

According to the Kings Fund, efforts to integrate care services have rarely extended into a concern for the broader health of local populations and the impact of the wider determinants of health. This is a missed opportunity says the Kings Fund. This paper aims to challenge those involved in integrated care and public health to 'join up the dots', seeing integrated care as part of a broader shift away from fragmentation towards an approach focused on improving population health.

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Implementing the NHS five year forward view  - Kings Fund

This new paper calls for fundamental changes to how health services are commissioned, paid for and regulated to deliver the vision of the NHS five year forward view.

However, without significant changes to policy and new approaches to NHS leadership, the paper warns that the Forward View could suffer the same fate as many other NHS policy documents - and fail to deliver on its ambitions.

In describing the changes required, the paper focuses on key areas in which The King's Fund has particular expertise, namely:

• how services are commissioned and paid for
• regulating the NHS
• how local leaders deliver improvements in care
• the contribution of a transformation fund.

Read the blog by Catherine Foot

See also:" The right partnerships - a Strategic Partner response to the NHS England - Five Year Forward View" - Strategic partner's response.

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Equality and Diversity report - Public Health England

A new equality and diversity report sets out how Public Health England has responded to the equality duties in 2014. It contains information about how PHE has thought about the 3 aims of the equality duty in conducting its work.

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Community-centred approaches to improving health

NHS England and Public Health England have published a new guide that identifies how local government and the NHS have important roles in building confident communities to improve health and reduce inequalities.

It sets out an evidence-based case for working with communities, discusses key concepts, introduces a new family of community-centred approaches and highlights implications for local leaders and commissioners- across the NHS, local government and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. The guide includes a framework of different types of community interventions to improve health and wellbeing, many of which are approaches that the voluntary, community and social entreprise sector (VCSE) takes. Whether your work is in asset based development, social prescribing, volunteering... this guide could help you to build the evidence case for community-centred approaches.

Following on from this guide, PHE are planning to launch a "Community Evidence Portal" - to share good practice and to help scale it up. Regional Voices believes this will be a very useful resource for the VCSE!

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Updating the NHS Constitution

The consultation closes on 11 March 2015

The NHS Constitution sets out:

• rights to which patients, public and staff are entitled
• responsibilities owed to each other to ensure the NHS operates fairly and effectively.
• This consultation proposes to amend the NHS Constitution to respond to recommendations made by Sir Robert Francis QC and to:
• give greater prominence to mental health
• reflect the importance of access to transparent and comparable data
• include the Armed Forces Covenant
• reflect the new fundamental standards in April 2015

To read more and respond

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Resources & information

Improving the health of the poorest fastest, including single homeless people in your JSNA

'Improving the health of the poorest, fastest': including single homeless people in your JSNA 2014
Thanks to Anna Page Policy Officer for this briefing from St Mungo's Broadway!

Link to the briefing

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Events, workshops & training

Health Equality Project - Managing your health

Effective Communication Skills Development Workshop - Meet GPs and health workers who want to learn alongside you how to communicate effectively.

Date: 11th March 2015, Time: 12.00noon - 2.30PM (option to extend session to 4:00pm for those able, and who wish to stay)

Venue: London Metropolitan University, Holloway Road. Exact location to be confirmed.

Refreshments will be provided.

The purpose of the event is to try out different approaches to effective conversations between patients and health professionals. We need greater shared understanding about managing health and how to communicate about it.

Patients (particularly those from refugee and migrant backgrounds), doctors and other health professionals are invited to discuss health issues together. We will consider what issues are most important in your community.

Through practical group exercises, the workshop will explore

• different ideas of what's important in health and how to manage illness
• fresh strategies and skills for communication between patient and professional
• ways to move forward when patients and doctors disagree.

Based on feedback from the first session, patients will be introduced to information that will help them think differently about their health and other care services, including the role of medication and prescribing antibiotics.
By the end of the workshop, participants will have had the opportunity for better understanding of others' ideas about health and improved communication skills for conversations about health and illness.

This workshop session is led by Delia Muir and Hament Patel Director of OCP Ltd with the Co-Productive Learning for Better Health project, using an approach to communication developed with the Professional Support Unit in London, which is part of Health Education England.

It is supported by Stepping Stone 4, a Swahili support charity and the Evelyn Oldfield Unit, a support agency for refugee and migrant community organisations.

For bookings please contact Salna or Sarah on: or
/ 020 7697 4102020 7697 4102
The project is funded by Cripplegate Foundation Helping since 1500

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Sustainable Food Cities webinar with Growing Health

How can we get community food growing 'prescribed' by the NHS or funded by public health?

Tuesday 24th March 2015, 2.00 - 3.30pm
This free webinar will include information and advice from experts and projects on working with the health service including:

• Overview of the commissioning processes.
• Routes to health commissioning - Clinical Commissioning Groups and Public Health including challenges and top tips.
• Case studies of commissioned projects.

To register email (include 'SFC and GH webinar' in subject)

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C4CC Regional Gatherings - May 2015

As part of the Coalition for Collaborative Care's (C4CC) commitment to person-centred, collaborative care, two free regional events have been planned in May 2015.

The London event will held on  Monday 18 May 2015 at London Marriott Hotel, Regents Park

These events are an opportunity to engage with C4CC members, anyone who shares their commitment to making person-centred care a reality and others interested in co-creating this movement - whether you are working in the health, social or voluntary & community sector (VCS), or you have experience of living with a long-term condition.

The regional events will bring together people for creative conversations and provide them with practical ideas and resources on how to deliver a new deal for people with long-term conditions.

Tickets are available now on Eventbrite - more information and to register for the London event

The event is free - but places are limited. Early sign-up is recommended as C4CC are anticipating a high level of interest. Places will be allocated to ensure they have a wide representation of interests and expertise.

If you have difficulty registering online, please email the or ring 011382 50719.

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HEAR network event reminder: Working Together for Health Equalities

Date: 25th March

Venue: Human Rights Action Centre (Amnesty International)

More information and booking details

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Post

Information and Outreach Officer - Healthwatch Merton

Closing date midday Monday 16th March 2015

Healthwatch Merton are currently seeking an Information and Outreach Officer to build on its success over the past two years, to engage the local community through outreach activities and an information service. This role is offered on a fixed term basis for a period of one year with possible extension subject to funding. 5.

Please click here to download an application pack.

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Trustees

Arthritis Care seeking new Trustees

Arthritis Care are looking to recruit a number of new Trustees who can:

• Think and act strategically in the best interests of people living with arthritis
• Demonstrate a commitment to our values
• Work effectively as part of a team
• Understand or learn the legal duties and responsibilities of trusteeship

Closing date - Friday 20 March 2015, 5pm.

For further information and to download the Trustee recruitment pack

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