Regional Overview – South East Coast
RAISE, the regional infrastructure support body for the voluntary sector in for the South East of England, facilitates the South East Health and Social Care Network, which has 140 members. Members receive e-bulletins keeping them up to date on policy changes and opportunities (such as events and consultations) for voluntary organisations working in health and social care. Membership in the network is free. To sign up contact Abigail Lee.
In the transition, NHS South East Coast and NHS South Central are working together on the South East Health and Social Care Commissioning Task Group, chaired and coordinated by RAISE. It has been set up to facilitate better partnership working to ensure full engagement of the voluntary and community sector (VCS) during the health reform transition period to achieve improved health and social care outcomes across the South East. This will support the VCS to engage with the pathfinder Clinical Commissioning Groups and the shadow Health and Wellbeing Boards.
RAISE, with VODG/NCF, are working with the Directors of Commissioning in both strategic health authorities to discuss opportunities for the VCS to support patient and public involvement in emerging Clinical Commissioning Groups in the South East and the developing learning and development programmes for CCGs.
Supporting the voluntary sector in the transition
RAISE sends out a monthly e-bulletin to the SE Health and Social Care Network which includes the latest news from the Department of Health, relevant updates on development of Clinical Commissioning Groups, Health and Wellbeing Boards and anything else to do with the health transition that will impact on the sector. In addition, a weekly e-bulletin to the wider RAISE membership which includes a specific health and social care section with the latest policy news affecting the sector.
RAISE and VODG/NCF also produced a briefing for GP Consortia on the sector’s offer to consortia and how the sector can support emerging consortia. The briefing was distributed at two SHA hosted events for GPs and is in the process of being updated to reflect the move to Clinical Commissioning Groups and the involvement of wider clinical professionals. It will continue to be disseminated at relevant commissioning events during the transition.