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VSNW CEO on social value commissioning and the NHS White Paper
8 September 2010
Richard Caulfield, Chief Executive of VSNW, features in a series of think pieces from NCVO, discussing some of the issues the NHS White Paper raises for infrastructure and social value commissioning.
He explains that the new emphasis on patient choice will result in greater complexity which may result in those who are not IT-literate being left behind, meaning there will be a need for 'navigators' to help groups and individuals to prevent this from becoming a reality:
"Far too often when we talk about ‘choice’ it is, as Mr Cameron described recently ‘...the middle classes like my family with their sharp elbows knocking others out of the way...’. For choice to be made a reality for the many not the few there will have to be intermediary organisations to support this."
Richard also explains that the model of Social Value Commissioning, used by NHS NW, could provide a framework for adoption across the rest of the health service, and even all public sector commissioning:
"I have often seen the use of Social Value commissioning as the ‘Holy Grail’ for the sector. VSNW will continue to push for the NHS to adopt Social Value Commissioning wholesale and we will be supporting the Private Members Bill of Chris White MP for Warwick and Leamington, calling for Social Value to be at the centre of all public sector commissioning. We believe there is no reason we can’t push for cross party support on this and use the valuable work we have done on this issue over recent years to make a revolutionary change to public sector procurement for good."
Other issues explored in the think pieces include: new migrants and excluded communities, equity for the deaf, access to drug and alcohol services, mental health, personalising health and commissioning and structural change.
Featured Event
Open Public Services - Passage of a bill workshop
This VSNW/Parliamentary Outreach Service event will explore the stages that the bill would go through, their relative importance and ways to engage and influence
Featured News
Two days left to enter our case study competition - prizes up for grabs!
We are inviting local groups and local or regional infrastructure organisations from across the North West to submit ideas for Listen Value Invest 2012 case studies about their work and how they are adjusting to the new environment
Transforming Local Infrastructure Fund results announced
The beneficiaries of the £30 million fund to help transform and modernise local charity support services have been announced by Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society.
Relaunch of Voluntary Sector Cuts Website
The Voluntary Sector Cuts website has now been relaunched with additional functionality to enable VCS organisations to records cuts to funding and their effects
Events & Trainings
VSNW’s list of events & training opportunities for VCS groups in the North West
