This project seeks to:

• Develop mechanisms that will link third sector organisations in each region with the relevant health structures including the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and Department of Health (DH).
• Build the capacity and capability of the third sector to engage with the health and social care agenda.
• Act as a critical friend to health decision makers in the region, and nationally, by providing co-ordinated responses to consultations and programmes.
• Develop regional health forums bringing together third sector organisations with an interest in health by facilitating communication and collaboration.

 This project represents a real opportunity for third sector organisations in each region to influence the Department of Health. Nationally we will be involved in advising the Department about key issues in the health and social care field, contributing towards health and well being and reducing health inequalities and disseminating information from the Department.

 Initial priorities for the national project will include:

•  Improving the third sector’s understanding of commissioning processes
• Developing the role for the sector in the personalisation agenda
• Increasing understanding of health inequalities across the sector
• Raising awareness of how emergencies such as the pandemic flue outbreak may affect the sector
• Equality issues – including work to improvement assessment of how polices affect minority groups
• Improving the way the sector works regionally and nationally around health.

Vision

To have created an effective and sustainable partnership between statutory sector agencies and the third sector after 3 years, especially at regional level to ensure that the evolving health and social care system fully reflects the concerns and values of the third sector, especially with regards to health inequalities.

 Aims

• To provide routes to influence health & social care groups both at a local and regional level through to national influence
• To ensure that the third sector is fully engaged in the design and delivery of health-related policy as well as the resultant delivery
• To have embedded the work of health into all standard working practices within regional networks
• To have good relationships with SHAs and other regional agencies with a health and social care remit
• Provide high quality, interpreted evidence and advice from third sector organisations to DH and relevant SHAs
• Provide opportunities and support for third sector organisations to come together, collaborate or form partnerships to address health inequalities and health related provision