Dear colleague,

Welcome to the March - April 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 and London for All news

Good Practice Case Studies - Co-production and Innovation in Health and Care

The case studies featured in this new LVSC / Regional Voices report show the effectiveness of co-production and collaboration between the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE), policy makers, hospitals and commissioners.  They also demonstrate that co-production can increase patient outcomes through preventative approaches to tackling health and care needs; improve health and care by using innovative approaches; and save the NHS money.

The report will inform LVSC's future work in relation to the NHS Five Year Forward View and the recent London Health Commission Better Health for London .

For more information contact Sandra van der Feen

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Evidencing your value and impact - A Getting London Ready Workshop

More information and registration

This FREE workshop will give valuable tips and knowledge and enable delegates to plan and implement monitoring and evaluation to determine service efficiency and effectiveness and to be able to confidently demonstrate the impact and added value of what you do.

22nd April, 2pm - 4.30pm, New Horizon Youth Centre, 68 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JR

Trainers:
Tebussum Rashid, Black Training and Enterprise Group and Caroline Masundire, Rocket Science

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London for all - Presentations from the "Social Value Act - Are we there yet?" presentations

Thanks to all of you who attended our London for All event, 'The Social Value Act - are we there yet?'.
LfA had a fantastic range of speakers and we are really grateful to them all for taking the time to attend. The presentations have been uploaded to the London for All website.

Other useful Social Value Act resources:

Using the Social Value Act to tackle local health inequalities presentation - Dr Jessica Allen, UCL Institute of Health Equity

and

Social value in Milton Keynes case study

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'The Impact of Funders' Processes and Practices on Voluntary Organisations' has been published - HEAR network

The research was carried out as part of HEAR's work with the London for All Partnership, funded by London Councils.

Evidence was collected through:

• A review of HEAR's Intersections' research carried out in 2014 -
• An online survey -A focus group/round table -Interviews with 13 London voluntary organisations

The resulting findings identified key points where funders' practices have an impact on the equality work of London voluntary organisations.

HEAR hopes that this report will help open further dialogue between organisations and funders about how to improve equality work in London.

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Local boroughs' news

Fairness Commission established in Redbridge

Ross Diamond, Chief Officer, Redbridge CVS kindly informed us about the new Commission. It has been set up to investigate poverty and inequality in Redbridge and look at how the Council and its partners are taking action to address it. The Commission will seek to understand how austerity has affected the lives of local people and engage with a wide range of local community groups to identify priorities for making Redbridge fairer.  It's inaugural meeting looked at health inequalities. The 'expert witnesses' included Redbridge Healthwatch, Redbridge CVS' Health Partnerships Officer, Positive East, Redbridge Public Health and Matilda Allen from the UCL Institute of Health Equity. Ross is one of the 'Fairness Commissioners' and they are due to produce a final report in the Autumn.

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Southwark & Lambeth series of risk management courses

Southwark & Lambeth Public Health Dept are running a series of courses at Southwark, Tooley Street.

The course is aimed at GPs, mental health liaison nurses, primary care/social workers (i.e. assessment and Brief Treatment Unit), homeless unit workers, people working with asylum seekers/refugees and any other worker supporting people who are vulnerable.

Skilled-based Training On Risk Management - STORM - 2 day course:

• Weds 29th/Thurs 30th Apr 2015 - Tooley St
• Mon 20th/Tues 21st Jul 2015 - Tooley St
• Mon 16th/Tues 17th Nov 2015 - Tooley St
• Mon 8th/Tues 9th Feb 2016 - Tooley St

For more information contact Claudia Craig Tel: 0207 525 02800207 525 0280
E:

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London wide news

London Clinical Senate Patient & Public Voice Group recruitment

The London Clinical Senate is recruiting new members for its Patient & Public Voice (PPV) Group. PPV members play a vital role in all the Senate's work and ensure the patient voice is reflected in all the advice and guidance the Senate issues.
Supporting information
Application form
Equalities monitoring form

Applicants are asked to return the application form and equalities monitoring form by 5pm on Friday 8 May.

If you would like to discuss this further personally or have any queries, please contact Jaimie Cross London Clinical Senate Development Manager
| 0113 80705280113 8070528 | 07918368367 (work)

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Patient and Public Engagement Event - The AHP Medicines Project team in NHS England

London: 16th April - 11am - 3.30pm

The AHP (Allied Health Professions) Medicines Project team in NHS England wish to invite you to attend a Patient and Public Engagement Event regarding proposals for more efficient and responsive access to medicines for patients.

The invitation contains further details of the events (London:16th April) and background to the proposals that NHS England are currently consulting on. It also includes links to registration and further contact details

Link to access the consultations on the proposals

If you require any assistance with registration or travel arrangements, please contact George Hilton by e-mail at or by telephone on 0113 82 547670113 82 54767

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Unlocking Social Prescribing - Bromley by Bow Centre

New seminar series - commencing April, 2015

Through this series of seminars, the Bromley by Bow Centre will share its extensive knowledge and learning on how to set up and run social prescribing programmes.

Delegates will hear from the pioneering GPs and project co-ordinators who run the service and directors of the centre. Practical workshop sessions with an expert panel will include a tour of the centre to see services in action.

What will you learn?

• What is social prescribing and how does it work?
• The benefits of social prescribing for patients
• The benefits of social prescribing for the medical profession
• How to set up a social prescribing programme
• How to build and develop successful partnerships
• How to take the next steps

Seminar programme and dates

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Greater London Authority publishes "Better Health for London: Next Steps

The Mayor of London, NHS England, Public Health England, London Councils and the 32 GP-led clinical commissioning groups have come together to outline how, individually and collaboratively, they will work towards London becoming the world's healthiest major city.

The aim is to work together at all levels to make the best use of resources and build on best practice to improve the health and well-being of all Londoners wherever they live in the capital, and this represents public health in action.

More information is available on the GLA website

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London Health & Wellbeing Boards (HWB) Conference - Conquering the Twin Peaks - 12th March presentations

This event by London Councils took place on 12th March. The conference featured the presentation of findings from a recent study commissioned by London Councils into London HWBs direction of travel, future potential and ambitions with responses from senior London stakeholders across health and local government. The presentations, breakout sessions and further information can be found on the London Council's website

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Opportunities for patients and carers to get involved!

Have you been affected by cancer as a patient and/or carer? Would you like to be part of a group that helps to improve healthcare services?

London Cancer part of University College London Partners is the integrated cancer system serving north east and central London and west Essex.  This means that it supports partner organisations in primary (GPs and clinical commissioning groups), community and hospital services to provide expert, compassionate care for every patient, every time. It is dedicated to improving health and experiences of people with cancer.

The role
London Cancer are always on the hunt for new patients and carers to sit on our various groups. Several of our Pathway Boards and Expert Reference Groups are looking for more patients or carers to bring their unique perspective to our boards and groups. People who have experience of life-changing diseases, injury or disability find ways to adjust to what life throws at them. They look for creative solutions to challenges and identify opportunities for improvement. They are experts by experience. London Cancer believe these experiences, both good and bad, empower patients and carers to be meaningfully engaged in discussions around quality, and service and system improvement.

Patient Representatives are valued members of the Board or Group and have the full support of the Director or Chair, who will be happy to meet with any incumbent or potential Patient Representative as they may require to help inform them about the role and remit of the Board or Group

When? On average four times per year
Time commitment? A few hours per meeting
Where? Most meetings take place at London Cancer Offices, Tottenham Court Road, London
Expenses? Out-of-pocket travel expenses only

The boards
The main boards seeking involvement include:

• Acute Oncology Service Expert Reference Group
• Brain and Spine Pathway Board
• Breast Pathway Board
• Colorectal Pathway Board
• Lung Pathway Board
• Upper GI (HPB) Pathway Board
• Skin Pathway Board
• Haemotology Pathway Board
• Head and Neck Pathway Board

If you or someone you know might be interested in one of these opportunities or other opportunities that sit outside of the boards, such as sharing your story or experience, helping to write bulletins from a patient and carer perspective or speaking at public events, please get in touch with Kellie Thomas, Macmillan Patient Experience and User Involvement Project Manager at .

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National news

15 "to do's" by 1 April 2015 to be ready to meet the social care needs of prisoners

ADASS has produced these very useful tips so those working with prisoners can help meet their social care needs. This information may be relevant in relation to the implementation of the Care Act regarding people in prison with care needs whose care is not the responsibility of the local authority in which the prison is located.
More information on the Care Act and prisoners

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Public to see CQC ratings displayed across care services

People and their families who use care services will soon be able to make more informed choices about their care by seeing first-hand if the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has judged them as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate. New rules mean health and care providers will have to make arrangements to prominently display their CQC rating from 1 April 2015.

Following a public consultation in February that generated more than 730 responses, CQC's final guidance for providers on how to display their performance ratings has now been issued. Thank you for your help in supporting this consultation.

As a result CQC has developed a suite of posters that will be automatically generated through the regulator's website for all care services that receive a CQC rating to download, print and display. People can expect to start seeing performance ratings on provider websites as well as across premises, public entrances and waiting areas of care services from 1 April. In-line with CQC's enforcement policy, appropriate action - including imposing a fine (fixed penalty notice) - can be taken should CQC find providers are in breach of the regulation.

The aim of this new requirement is to achieve better awareness and greater transparency for members of the public about which care services are Outstanding, Good, Require Improvement or Inadequate. By making inspection ratings more visible, CQC is helping people make more informed choices about their care, celebrating success and driving up standards.

CQC's final guidance for care providers on how to display their ratings is available to view on the CQC website.

The final guidance follows an amended regulation that was laid before Parliament on 28 January 2015 by the Department of Health that required providers to display their CQC ratings across their services and on their websites. Response to CQC's consultation carried out in February on draft guidance proposals to help providers meet this new requirement is also available on the CQC website

CQC has been rating services for the NHS since March 2014, for adult social care since October 2014 and for general practices since November 2014.

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How did the NHS do for you today?

From 1 April, The Friends and Family Test will give even more patients the opportunity to feedback on their care and treatment to help improve local healthcare. The Friends and Family Test is currently offered in hospitals, community and mental health and GP practices but from now it will expand across dental practices, ambulance and patient transport services, and for acute outpatients and day-case patients. It is also being extended to gather views from children and young people. Look out for your opportunity to give feedback.

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New era of patient care - 29 geographies lead NHS Forward View into action

The first sites that will lead on transforming care for patients across England have been announced. The 29 sites, known as vanguards, will develop local services from April, to keep people well, and bring home care, mental health and community nursing, GP services and hospitals together for the first time since 1948. In London, they include Tower Hamlets Integrated Provider Partnership and Sutton CCG.

To read more visit the NHS England website.

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Clinical Commissioning Groups approved for joint commissioning of GP services

Over a third of Clinical Commissioning Groups have been approved to jointly commission GP services with NHS England. The new co-commissioning arrangements are part of the changes set out in the NHS Five Year Forward View to deliver a new deal for primary care.

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Building public mental health skills

Public Health England has this week published a new framework to build mental health skills in a wide range of professions working with children and adults in all areas of life, including work settings. The publication coincides with the third annual Public Mental Health Summit.

The framework aims to widen the responsibility for improving public mental health beyond those professions on the public health register, or with a specific role in public health. Teachers, early years workers, nurses, GPs, housing officers, psychiatrists and employers are all identified as having an important role.

The aim of the framework is to build the capacity and capability of leaders, and developing a workforce that is confident, competent, and committed to:

• promoting good mental health across the population
• preventing mental illness and suicide
• improving the quality and length of life of people living with mental illness

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VCSE review interim report published

Thank you for participating in the initial stage of the Voluntary Sector Health and Care review into government investment in the VCSE sector for health and care.  The interim report can be found here.

The report reflects what has been heard about the impact, challenges and potential of the VCSE sector and starts to look at what we could do differently in the future.
It is recognised that there has been limited by time and that a deeper conversation with the sector is needed to develop a clear set of recommendations. The new government will be briefed on this work following the General Election in May with a view to continuing the review, subject to ministerial approval.

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New evidence addresses the health inequalities of LGB&T people

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGB&T) Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework Companion Document was launched on the 12th March. It highlights the significant impact of discrimination on LGB&T people's experiences of care and support and outcomes for their wellbeing.

The LGB&T ASCOF Companion Document has been developed by the National LGB&T Partnership working with the Department of Health, with thanks to experts from across the LGB&T community.

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Resources & information

"Managing bereavement in the workplace" - a good practice guide

The guide has been produced by ACAS with Cruse Bereavement Care

Grief impacts on the emotional, physical, spiritual and psychological wellbeing of the person who is bereaved. At any time, one in 10 employees are likely to be affected (McGuinness, 2009). Whilst this is an intensely personal experience, a compassionate and flexible approach from employers can
ensure that the impact on both the individual and the organisation is minimised. This guidance aims to help employers manage this difficult situation through appropriate and sensitive discussions with their employee,both in the immediate aftermath of bereavement and in the longer term.

Please share with your members, contacts and networks

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Compacts as a tool to support VCS engagement with health

Ross Diamond, Chief Officer of Redbridge CVS wrote recently for Compact Voice, concerning how Compacts can be used as a tool to support VCS engagement with health. The blog can be found on the Compact Voice website.
Ross shared his experiences of how the Compact had helped to form a foundation for strong partnerships with health bodies locally, and this guest blog provides a short overview of what he covered. The PCT - and now its successor, the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) - funded Redbridge CVS  to employ a Health Partnerships Officer to help the NHS and the voluntary & community sector to work together and understand each other better.

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Post

Job vacancy with Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens

FCFCG is pleased to be recruiting for a new post in London. Please visit their website for a job pack and application form if you cannot open the attached files.

Closing date: 22 April.
Ian Egginton-Metters - 01373 30220401373 302204 / 07939 23005307939 230053 |

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LVSC membership

"LVSC is delighted to announce that supporter membership to LVSC for this year will be FREE for VCS/VCSE organisations, and other not-for-profit organisations that work in at least one London borough or are based in London.

With the increasing pressures on the voluntary and community sector, we are keen to ensure our members are supported more than ever. We know that sometimes the barrier to getting this support lies with expensive membership fees.

Late last year LVSC surveyed our stakeholders and has now come up with a membership package to suit your organisation. We are keen to make this as easy as possible for you to sign up, so please visit our membership page where you can download the new membership form (scoll down the membership page), complete it and return it to LVSC.

We very much hope you will find our range of services and events a huge benefit as you continue to deliver your excellent services to your beneficiaries.
If you need any additional information, please contact .

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