Community voices and participation in research that supports clinical health is an important part of developing an integrated approach to health and care. In 2022 VAC was the facilitating and capacity building organisation for a Community Action Research initiative with collaborators Umoja Health Forum and Lifeafterhummus Community...
HEALTH transformation
VAC has been engaged the in development and change happening in health services for decades. Since 2013 we have presented a VCS voice and hosted practical projects and services to have local influence in some of the biggest changes taking place in the NHS since its inception.
VAC use data, insights and case studies from social prescribing and other voluntary sector services to build VCS voice and presence within the new Integrated Care Partnership and System developing in Camden and North Central London respectively. Alongside the Care Navigation and Social Prescribing Service, VAC host a Social Prescribing Learning Network , are the lead VCS organisation for North Central London in the National Academy of Social Prescribing (NASP) Thriving Communities Programme, and provide a VCS lead officer for Camden in the Camden and Islington Green Social Prescribing programme.
Current work includes:
NCL VCSE ALLIANCE
VAC is part of the North Central London VCSE Alliance steering group presenting a VCSE sector voice in the new health and care system. VAC represents the Alliance on two North Central London committees: Strategy and Development Committee; Primary Care Committee.
The Alliance is shaping strategies for the NCL Integrated Care Board and health providers to work with the VCSE sector. This includes new collaborations and approaches to resourcing the sector. VAC is an Alliance lead for developing a toolkit to help Primary Care Networks work with the VCSE sector and for developing an Action Plan with the local NHS Provider Alliance.
Community Research
Community voices and participation in research that supports clinical health is an important part of developing an integrated approach to health and care. In 2022 VAC was the facilitating and capacity building organisation for a Community Action Research initiative with collaborators Umoja Health Forum and Lifeafterhummus Community Benefit Society. The overview report and evaluation can be found here.
The action research took place in all 5 boroughs in the NCL health system, and whilst having independent locally important outcomes provided groundwork for developing a Research Engagement Network (REN) across the health system. The REN initiative aims to connect communities with clinical research on their own terms. A first phase of development runs until April 2024 and is initially focussed on communities in Haringey and Enfield. The learning will be rolled out and developed further in other boroughs.
LATEST NEWS AND UDPATES
To find out more about our work on Health Transformation contact Donna Turnbull dturnbull@vac.org.uk
