Strategic partners in health

Thursday 23 July 2009

NCB is delighted to have been chosen by the Department of Health as a strategic partner for a new programme to build third sector capacity and influence.

The Strategic Partnership programme emerged from a review of the department's funding of third sector organisations, and will work with 11 organisations initially. It will support third sector organisations to build their skills and knowledge to improve health and social care services and ensure input from the sector in developing policy.

With the implementation of the child health strategy Healthy Lives, Brighter Futures under way, legislation introduced to place children's trust boards on a statutory footing, and uncertainty over public finances, this is a key time for the third sector to be involved in local, regional and national structures for improving child health and wellbeing.

As the only strategic partner representing the children and young people's sector, NCB has a responsibility to reach out to third sector organisations, networks and partnerships to spread information and learning opportunities as wide as possible, and to gather the greatest possible voice to influence policy.

Alison Penny, assistant director of the Voluntary Sector Support Programme (VSSP) at NCB, said: "We will capitalise on the excellent reach of our specialist networks, councils, fora and partnerships to support organisations working to improve the health and wellbeing of children across areas such as HIV, disability, bereavement and participation. Activities will include: disseminating quality information and policy interpretation;  drawing out the implications for the third sector; consulting with the sector on key issues and feeding this in to the Department of Health; offering policy advice and stakeholder engagement; and skilling up third sector organisations and primary care trusts to work together effectively."

For more information, contact Alison Penny on apenny@ncb.org.uk