New assurance framework to strengthen VCFSE involvement in neighbourhood health

What does “good” look like?

Building on our previous work to support the meaningful involvement of the VCFSE sector in neighbourhood health, we have published a new paper setting out a practical assurance framework to help show what “good” looks like in practice.

Neighbourhood health continues to be a major national and local priority, with a strong emphasis on partnership working, prevention and tackling health inequalities. Our earlier briefing on embedding the VCFSE sector in neighbourhood health highlighted the vital role that VCFSE organisations play in delivering more joined up, community centred care.

This latest paper takes that work a step further.

Learning from across North West

Drawing on learning from across the North West over the past 12 months, alongside insights from national pioneers in St Helens and Sefton, the framework introduces a set of seven domains and supporting key lines of enquiry (KLOEs). These are designed to help commissioners, system leaders and VCFSE partners assess the extent and quality of VCFSE involvement in neighbourhood health models and services.

Rather than setting out another vision or model, this assurance framework provides a structured way to test, evidence and improve practice. It enables systems to move beyond intent and demonstrate whether the VCFSE sector is being consistently recognised, resourced and embedded as a core partner.

As neighbourhood health continues to evolve, this work aims to support greater consistency, transparency and accountability across systems, ensuring the sector’s contribution is not only valued but clearly evidenced.