From April 2013 local Healthwatch replaced the Local Involvement Networks (LINks) as the "consumer voice" in health and social care. It is important that local Healthwatch learns from the experience of the LINks to ensure they become the best they can be, and to prevent "reinventing the wheel". The results of a project to capture this learning are now available
Voluntary Sector North West
St. Thomas Centre
31 July 2012
In a new blog for New Start magazine, VSNW Chief Executive Richard Caulfield has written about the impact of a proposed formula for future public health funding that could see funds from areas of deprivation shifting to wealthier areas with older populations: Halt the redistribution of health.
Richard states that 'The new formula, from the Advisory Council of Resource Allocation, does not have a heavy bias to deprivation and as a result will, if implemented in full, see the redistribution of public health spend away from areas of deprivation to wealthier areas. The most deprived authorities across the north west are set to lose around £8 per head in the proposals, leading to a net loss of £18m for the region.
This change in spending is unlikely to see the government move forward with its aim of reducing health inequalities and will have implications for local economies and the wider health system as resources are redistributed from our most deprived areas to our most affluent." This redistribution could have a huge effect on communities and the VCS organisations that support them and the blog mentions a number of alternative options to avoid this potential negative effect.
Should you wish to echo Richard’s concerns (or disagree), there’s a consultation on the funding formula that ends on 14 August.
Formally this consultation is on public health funding but the formula may, as Richard states, be used to inform CCG funding too. It would be difficult to justify two highly disparate health funding formulas.
According to page 18 of the consultation document, ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy
People: Update on Public Health Funding’, feedback should be sent by 14th August to: publichealthfinanceupdateengagement@dh.gsi.gov.uk.
The full consultation document is here: ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Update on Public Health Funding’. There are no formal consultation questions.
Pages 24 and 25 of the consultation document list the types of services covered by public health funding.
Link
New Start magazine blog - Halt the redistribution of health
Regional Voices, of which VSNW is a partner, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded funding from the Department of Health (Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund) to support voluntary and community sector influence on health and wellbeing boards
The Department for Business Innovation & Skills has published the findings of a research study on European Social Fund delivery with the aim of informing thinking around the next round of programmes
Healthwatch England was formed in April 2013 and is the independent consumer champion for health and social care in England. They have now published a list of local Healthwatch, including those for the North West
The Local Government Chronicle held a webinar to explore the essential elements to ensure local healthwatch organisations are effective in scrutinising local health services and provide a voice for communities. Regional Voices, of which VSNW are a part, are mentioned.
An analysis has been published by NAVCA of the 74 areas that received Transforming Local Infrastructure and provides a national perspective, and allows the sharing of information and ideas
