Policy paper

The Department of Health Voluntary Sector Strategic Partner Programme

The Voluntary Sector Strategic Partner Programme (SPP) was launched in April 2009 to improve communication and dialogue between the Department and third sector health and social care organisations across England.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Details

The programme enables voluntary sector organisations to work in equal partnership with the Department of Health (DH), NHS and Social Care to help shape and deliver policies and programmes, for the benefit of the sector and improved health and well-being outcomes.

The programme invests in a small number of organisations, working at national level. It allows each organisation to demonstrate leadership and innovation, to reflect the views of their members and networks and support the development of knowledge and capability in the sector to engage in the wider health and social care reform agenda.

The programme has developed from a partnership of 11 organisations establishing a robust model for working in partnership, to 18 organisations spanning the breadth and depth of the voluntary sector in relation to health and social care policy.  It is estimated that through these partners, over 300,000 organisations across the voluntary sector can be reached.

The eighteen partners selected to work in partnership with the DH are:

2009/10:

  • Age UK
  • FaithAction
  • Men’s Health Forum
  • National Association for Voluntary and Community Action
  • National Care Forum and Voluntary Organisations Disability Group
  • National Children’s Bureau
  • National Council for Palliative Care
  • National Heart Forum
  • Race Equality Foundation
  • RADAR, National Centre for Independent Living and Shaping Our Lives National User Network
  • Regional Voices (a partnership of the nine Regional VCS Networks)

2010/11:

  • Mental Health Providers Forum
  • Carers UK, Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads
  • Women’s Health and Equality Consortium
  • Royal British Legion/Combat Stress
  • NACRO and Action for Prisoners’ Families

2011/12:

  • National Voices
  • LGB&T Partnership

DH Voluntary Sector Strategic Partners Websites

Age UK

Lead partner - Age UK

FaithAction

(Lifeline, Faithworks, Faith Regeneration Foundation) Lead Partner - FaithAction

Men’s Health Forum

Lead Partner - Men’s Health Forum

National Association for Voluntary and Community Action

Lead Partner - National Association for Voluntary and Community Action

LGBandT Partnership (inclusive partnership of the main LGBandT health provider organisations across England)

Lead Partner - Lesbian & Gay Foundation

National Care Forum and Voluntary Organisations Disability Group

Lead Partner - Voluntary Organisations Disability Group

National Children’s Bureau

Lead Partner - National Children’s Bureau

National Council for Palliative Care

Lead Partner - National Council for Palliative Care

National Heart Forum

Lead Partner - National Heart Forum

Race Equality Foundation

Lead Partner - Race Equality Foundation

RADAR, National Centre for Independent Living and Shaping our Lives, National User Network

Lead Partner - RADAR

Regional Voices (a partnership of the nine Regional VCS Networks)

Lead Partner - The Regional Voluntary Networks Forum

Mental Health Providers Forum (Afiya Trust, Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Helplines Partnership, Mind, National Survivor User Network, Rethink, Centre for Mental Health)

Lead Partner - Mental Health Providers Forum

Carers UK, Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads

Lead Partner - Carers UK

Women’s Health and Equality Consortium (Platform51, Forward UK, Positively Women, Maternity Action, Women’s Resource Centre, Rape Crisis)

Lead Partner - Platform51

Royal British Legion/Combat Stress

Lead Partner - Royal British Legion

NACRO and Action for Prisoners’ Families

Lead Partner - Nacro

National Voices

Lead Partner - National Voices

LGBandT Partnership (inclusive partnership of the main LGBandT health provider organisations across England)

Lead Partner - Lesbian and Gay Foundation

Published 21 March 2011