We have created an area of this website for people wishing to comment on the White Paper who are unable to come to the consultation events.  Please click here.

The White Paper on Health has the potential to create one of the biggest changes to the structure and function of the NHS since its creation in 1948.  Within the White Paper there are 5 consultations which are all open until early October. 

During September, Regional Voices will be hosting events in 9 locations across the country for the third sector. 

These will give you the opportunity to learn more about the proposed changes through the White Paper as well as having the chance to attend three interactive consultation workshops during the day to discuss issues in depth and to provide feedback directly to those leading on the consultations from the Department of Health.

The events will:

• Raise awareness of the proposed changes and stimulate informed response to the consultations
• Help third sector, patient, service user, carers and community organisations understand how the White Paper will impact on their work and the opportunities it presents.
• Identify some of the cross cutting issues of particular relevance to the sector
• Provide a forum to develop understanding of the role of the Third Sector in emerging health structures
• Provide direct feedback to the Department of Health on the consultation areas

Dates and Venues

Bookings

To download the events brochure and booking form, click here: White Paper Events Booking Form

National Voices are also hosting a conference for their members on the Health White Paper on 16th September in London.  If you would like more information about this, please visit: www.nationalvoices.org.uk

A national conference specifically for NHS and Third Sector Organisations improving quality and value through working together is being held on Friday 6th November, 10am to 4pm at the Midland Hotel Manchester.

This conference is being delivered as a partnership between the Department of Health, Voluntary Sector North West and NHS North West.

Attendance is free. To find out more visit www.vsnw.org.uk/news/view/281.

To book your space email kathie.cox@dh.gsi.gov.uk

There are currently six million people across the UK who provide unpaid care to someone they know – a figure that will only increase with Britain’s ageing population.

If you care for a friend or relative, or are a receiver of care yourself, you will know firsthand the true cost of caring. Carers Allowance is the lowest benefit, set at just £53.10 a week. Carers also rarely get chance to take a break from the role – over a third (31%) of long-term providers have never taken a holiday.

The government’s recent Green Paper, ‘Shaping the Future of Care Together’, is attempting to update the nation’s care system for the first time since the 1940s to create a system that fits our 21^st century needs and provides long-term financial provision for those in care.

Emma Soames, Editor-At-Large of Saga Magazine, and Phil Hope MP, Minister of State for Care Services will be interviewed live online on Tuesday 6^th October at 3:00pm to answer your questions about the government’s Green Paper.

To link to the live web chat or to pose questions to Phil Hope in advance, please click here

Regional Voices and NAVCA will be working together to provide a joint response to this consultation.  If you would like to feed into this response, please contact Emma Easton at Regional Voices on 0113 394 2300 (emma.easton@regionalforum.org.uk) or Katy Wing at NAVCA on 0114 289 3990 (katy.wing@navca.org.uk)

Read the NAVCA/Regional Voices’ joint briefing paper “Shaping the Future of Care Together”

PROMiSE aims to enable third and independent sector organisations to engage with the MHIP by accessing information, support and links. The Network will also build upon best practice and share knowledge, skills and experience on a region-wide basis.

Mental Health Improvement Programme (MHIP) is a collaborative programme between the NHS, Social Care, the third sector, independent sector, users and carers, which aims to improve mental health across the North West. It was set up following a year-long review of mental health services in our region, which has the highest level of hospital admissions for depression and anxiety.

MHIP is committed to inclusive working, addressing issues such as community engagement, health inequalities and involvement of seldom heard groups or individuals. The experience and knowledge of service users and carers is central to the work of the programme.

Voluntary Sector North West (VSNW) is the regional voluntary sector network for the North West. Its purpose is to ensure that the voluntary and community sector, in all its diversity, plays its full part in shaping the future of the North West. As such, VSNW is fully engaged with the region’s health and social care agenda, has experience of other networks and has excellent links within the sub-regions and with organisations dealing with traditionally under-represented groups.

Richard Caulfield, Chief Executive of VSNW, said he would work to ensure that PROMiSE had a significant effect: “We really look forward to working with members to develop this network, to ensure it has an impact both within MHIP and further afield.”

Find out more about PROMiSE