Regional Overview – South West
South West Forum (SWF), the voice of the voluntary and community sector in the South West, facilitates a Health and Care Network which has nearly 600 members. Members receive a weekly e-bulletin containing health and care related news and events as well as priority notifications of consultation activities and events. Membership to the Network is free – to sign up contact Jane Smallcombe at SWF.
South West Health and Care Network helps ensure the effective flow of information, intelligence and evidence between local voluntary organisations and the Department of Health, South West Strategic Health Authority and other agencies. It aims to provide high quality evidence-based input to policy and strategy development; an efficient conduit for communication with voluntary organisations; and a well informed, independent critical friend.
Recent network activities
- Public Health Consultation event March 2011
c.100 participants, predominantly from SW voluntary sector
Regional and national consultation responses submitted on: ‘Healthy lives, healthy people’ public health white paper, and Funding and Commissioning and Outcomes Framework consultations. - Health inequalities conference November 2010
c.100 participants, predominantly from SW voluntary sector
Speakers included
- Ilaria Geddes, The Marmot Review on health inequalities team
- Richard Wilkinson, co-author of The Spirit Level - NHS Future Forum “Listening” Event May 2011
Meeting of voluntary sector organisations working with patients, service users and carers from throughout the South West. http://www.southwestforum.org.uk/nhs-future-forum