Participants list for this session here

Aim: To look at the purpose of the neighbourhoods agenda and build the knowledge of the VCS

Powerpoint 1 VAC Forum Powerpoint
Powerpoint 2  Community Connectedness
Powerpoint 3 Camden ICP Presentation
Powerpoint 4 Social Care Neighbourhoods

Useful Links :

NHS Strategy – Integrating care: Next steps to building strong and effective integrated care systems across England
LB Camden ASC Strategy: Supporting people, connecting communities
Notes of the VCS Partners Meeting Neighbourhoods discussion
Kingsfund Guide to Integrated Care Systems

3 questions made during a break out room discussion:

Q1. What are the opportunities for health/social care/VCS to connect people with activities/services?

Brendan – CDA – Focus a lot on people who are already unwell. Prevention is a big part and many people are going about their normal lives so are not linked up with health/care/VCS orgs

Lots of people who do not know about VCS orgs or are not confident about using a VCS organisation. This can be a barrier.

Maddie – Question the Winch are asking!! Who are the first person they go to when they need help? Not health and care organisations (or VCS), but relatives. How do we changes this mindset?

Beneficiaries can become attached to one organisation rather than going to new support organisations. Often VCS have to help people make those connections. Can there be greater collaboration.

Camden is a big borough. Can be a challenge to understand the lay of the land.

People have their definition of where they belong and do not know what we mean by neighbourhoods or community.

Person-Centeredness – Often the first part, about engaging with someone about what they want for their health and care/support. But it does not always get carried through or the system does not manage a person’s expectation about what is actually possible.

VCS spend a lot of time with people and have a lot time to understand what people are saying and want. This can be lost when people are having short/one-off conversations with other colleagues (health and social care).

VCS engagement with this agenda is likely to be at neighbourhood level and practical. ‘Who do I talk to?’ e.g. having key contacts in e.g. social care, health etc would be of useful.

Communications are key: favoured central channels which can be cascaded.
Mentioned Greenwich CCG setting up a what’s app broadcast group for messages to be shared.
Other suggestions were a periodic newsletter
Larger organisations are key to helping share information with smaller organisations.
Can’t forget the voice of the resident
Need engagement at PCN level.
Focus on real people, they don’t understand how this fits together – how can we better facilitate this? People need to develop the priorities, both neighbourhood and strategic.
Developing peer support
Remember to include everyone in engagement including young people.
Commissioning at a local level need to ensure this happens through ICS/ICP.
How can help people move between opportunities, accepting DBS checks done by other organisations.
Opportunities to engage more because on Zoom etc. Although mindful of digital divide.
Shared training, DBS checks, help people with setting projects up (templates, documents etc).
How do we include people who are not placed based: students, homeless, people who move frequently. Opportunities for virtual groups.

Q2. Other things VCS should do to engage with this agenda? – Council routes? NHS routes?

What is the expectation on VCS organisations to get them together and engage. Lots of VCS organisations do not have the funding/resources to bring people together. This can mean that those that do have resource are the organisations that have their voices heard.

No Disabled persons organisations, community centres, young people’s voices on ICP.

Voluntary organisations have a lot of knowledge and valuable information to be fed into the strategy

Commissioning doesn’t currently fit a sa way of resourcing VCS support – not straightforward service / activity delivery, lots of additional aspects. More holistic / lifestyle change culture. Commissioners need to understand VCS offer and value.

Comes down to communication again. Perhaps a separate newsletter.
Sharing models of good practice.
Need to be mindful of targeting engagement – numerous interdependencies in ICP, want to join up on approaches to VCS and residents so less impact on time.
Issues around co-production. Can’t be just a tick box exercise.
How does NCL work together – models of care/examples of what worked – build on this best practice.
Importance of trust.
Mapping what VCS offer including knowledge, skills and training. Capturing these skills. City and Hackney paper? Example of how this has been done.
Who is responsible for integrating and co-ordinating this work? Communicating that the Terms of Reference for the Health and Wellbeing has changed. How are voluntary representatives chosen? Who is accountable and how do they work with everyone?

Q3. Things that VAC could do to help that engagement?

Kate – Do organisations know who each other are?

Can VAC do more to provide a way to inform VCS organisations of each other and their offer.

Joint directories of service

Maybe most important aspect is how VAC facilitate the capturing of residents voices, who are, ultimately the beneficiary of the services and support.

VAC needs more support from statutory bodies, council CCG in representing the sector.

Data – better sharing, funding it, structuring it and telling the stories around it. VAC could hold a session on this and share experience e.g. what works to engage and influence in this environment.
Messages need to be practical, simple, welcoming, transparent, inclusive. Role for VAC in this.
Understanding that these things will mean different things to do different people.
Using other partners when VAC can’t attend meetings.