RAISE manages an e-network of organisations with an interest in health and social care issues.  As a member of Regional Voices, RAISE is a strategic partner of the Department of Health and so has access to the latest developments in policy in this rapidly changing field.  With the whole architecture of health provision in England undergoing a revolution our aim is to ensure that the voluntary and community sector is positioned to best effect within the new structures of commisioning and strategic planning, and that the sector is able to access the market to provide high quality, cost effective and reliable services.  We talk to the Department of Health, to NHS South of England and to a range of other bodies involved in shaping health and social care provision in the future.

Our Health and Social Care e-network contributed to the government’s NHS Future Forum “listening exercise” during 2011, through written submissions coordinated by RAISE and through lively debate at two consultation meetings. You can see our submissions to the Future Forum below.

Do join our network if you want to be kept informed, or if you want to influence this agenda.

RAISE is proud to launch a new project entitled “A Healthier Perspective” – enhancing the opportunities for commissioning voluntary and community sector organisations to deliver health and social care outcomes.  The project builds on the debates we hear all the time about the difficulties faced by commissioners in understanding the range of potential voluntary and community sector providers and of the potential of the sector to do more.

This is a really exciting nine month project which takes advantage of a relatively short window of opportunity in the health transition process to try and change the perspectives of commissioners of health and social care services. We want as many organisations to benefit from the work as possible – both in the voluntary and statutory sector – and will be keeping RAISE’s Health and Social Care network abreast of the project’s progress and findings.  Go to the “A Healthier Perspective” page to find out more about this important work.