North Wales Health and Third Sector Compact
“Working together locally for the health and wellbeing of the people of North Wales”
The Partners
This ‘Compact’ is between the six Local Voluntary Services Councils and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCU HB) and has been agreed by the responsible officers for the respective organisations:
Partner Organisation / Responsible Officer / SignatureMedrwn Môn, Anglesey /
/ John R Jones
Conwy Voluntary Services Council / / Wendy Jones
Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council / / John Watkin
Flintshire Local Voluntary Council / / Kieran Duff
Mantell Gwynedd / / Bethan Russell Williams
Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham (AVOW) / / John Gallanders
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board / / Mary Burrows
Date Agreed: / Review Date:
Contents
Reference / Content / Page Number (s)1 / Executive Summary / 4
2 / Background / 4 & 5
3 / Shared Vision and principles / 5
3.1 / Stronger partnership / 5 & 6
3.2 / Improved service planning, delivery & resourcing / 6
3.3 / Supporting self care and independence / 6
3.4 / Improving access to services for specific communities / 6 & 7
3.5 / Promoting and improving health and wellbeing / 7
3.6 / Volunteering for health and social care / 7
3.7 / Developing social enterprise in health and social care / 7
3.8 / Integrated service and workforce planning / 7
3.9 / Reducing hospital admissions and improved discharge / 7 & 8
3.10 / Research and Development / 8
4 / Responsibilities of each partner / 8
5 / Implementation, Monitoring & Review / 8
1. Executive Summary
In this Compact the term ‘Third Sector’ incorporates voluntary and community organisations and volunteering interests. The Term BCU HB refers to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and relates to the region of North Wales.
The principles contained within this Compact provide a framework for working together more effectively towards common goals for the benefit of individuals and communities in the local populations across North Wales. The overall common goal is to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of North Wales.
This Compact is between the six County Voluntary Councils and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCU HB). We commit ourselves to implementing its principles which are based on the following 10 themes within ‘Designed to Add Value – A Third Dimension’:
§ Stronger partnership working within the third sector and between the sectors
§ Improved service planning, delivery & resourcing
§ Supporting self care and independence
§ Improving access to services for specific communities
§ Promoting and improving health and wellbeing
§ Volunteering for health and social care
§ Develop social enterprise in health and social care
§ Integrated services and workforce planning
§ Reducing hospital admissions and improved discharge
§ Research & Development
This ‘Compact’ has been developed based on the good practice from the existing County Compact arrangements in place locally across North Wales. It represents the shared commitment of the partners to encourage partnership working between the Third Sector and BCU HB at a local and regional level and articulates our shared understanding and recognition of the value, respect and legitimacy of each other’s roles. It is recognised that we will achieve more through partnership and collaboration than by working separately. We have good relationships, and therefore on a continuum, we are striving towards effective partnerships.
The effectiveness of this compact will be measured by the extent to which it is respected and implemented by all partners. To ensure we achieve constructive change and improvement, a ‘Funding Code of Practice’ including Service Level Agreement (SLA) and monitoring templates will also be developed in partnership to embed the principles widely across all partnerships, promoting consistent evidence based, fit for purpose and value for money services.
2. Background
The National Health Service (NHS) Reform in Wales announced by the Minister for Health & Social Care dissolved the twenty two Local Health Boards and seven NHS Trusts and established seven Local Health Boards in their place from 1st October 2009.
As the NHS in Wales moves away from traditional models of service provision it provides an opportunity to review existing arrangements, build on strengths of the Third Sector and be more sustainable, flexible, innovative and responsive to the changing needs of the population.
In our aim to improve the Health and Wellbeing of the population, the balance of provision is shifting and core services will be provided closer to home, in communities and outside of the hospital environment which will promote prevention and early intervention to enable independence of people and communities across Wales.
The Third Sector is recognised by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and BCUHB as a key partner in making this shift. Third Sector Organisations can support BCU HB in preventing ill health; shifting services closer to where people live, involving people in the planning and provision of care by engaging volunteers, accessing specific communities and supporting people to reach their potential through advocacy, advice, support and self care.
The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales in her 2011 report ‘Dignified Care’ stated
‘Health Boards and the Trust should recognise the expertise of the third sector and work with them to realise the potential of appropriate, imaginative use of volunteers. With professional management, good induction and support at ward level, using volunteers can have tangible benefits. It is an area where relatively modest amounts of expenditure can realise benefits of a value far in excess of the funds invested.’
3. Shared Values and Principles
Within this Compact all partners have a shared commitment to adopt the principles based on the following 10 themes within Designed to Add Value – A Third Dimension:
3.1 Stronger partnership working within the third sector and between the sectors
Partnerships are about sharing creativity, risk & responsibility and streamlining tasks
to those best suited to undertake them. To further enhance collaborative working, partners will:
§ Promote open and honest partnership between the public, private and third sectors for the benefit of all that is both dynamic and delivers agreed outcomes in line with strategic priorities
§ Ensure that the principles of partnership are accepted and implemented at all levels in all partner agencies
§ Endeavour to provide a range of services that delivers the highest possible quality and choice of services across North Wales
§ Whenever possible, offer early consultation on matters which affect the partners with adequate time for responses to be made
§ Provide opportunities for the partners to contribute to policy review and development and implementation of service strategies
§ Support improved communications between each other, with the public, service users and local communities
§ Establish and maintain procedures to ensure accepted best practice in the development of commissioning and contracting arrangements
§ Produce and share regular, clear, consistent advice and information on high level strategic priorities & service requirements and associated internal & external funding opportunities
§ Ensure funding is properly targeted to provide high quality, cost-
effective services that meet the needs identified by the community
§ Co-operate in identifying alternative sources of funding for the Third Sector which add value to the work of the Partners
§ Endeavour, within the current financial constraints, to develop a funding system which takes account of the problem of short-term funding which will lead to more long-term stability
3.2 Improved service planning, delivery & resourcing
The partners agree to engage in joint planning and delivery that will:
§ Support the development of effective processes and structures to enable partners to engage at a strategic level in the planning and delivery of services
§ Encourage best practice and a consistent approach to performance management, particularly where organisations receive funding as service providers
§ Ensure alignment and integration with other statutory local and regional strategies, partnerships & priorities, e.g.:
§ Health, Social Care & Wellbeing Strategies
§ Children & Young People’s Plans
§ Community Safety Partnerships
§ Local Service Boards
§ Community Strategies
§ BCU HB Clinical Programme Groups
§ BCU HB Annual Quality Framework – including Our Healthy Future (OHF) – Upstream / Prevention agenda
§ BCU HB Localities development
§ Participate in jointly agreed monitoring and evaluation of partnership working
§ Provide an information directory of Third Sector organisations operating in the local areas of North Wales
§ Ensure that services are justified, value for money and deliver measurable outcomes for the target population
§ Ensure consistent and good quality communication and effective information sharing in line with Wales Accord for the Sharing of Personal Information (WASPI)
§ Promote Environmental, Social, Economic and Cultural Sustainability
3.3 Supporting self care and independence
Partners will:
§ Encourage people to take responsibility for decisions that affect them and promote independence (social inclusion) for individuals to become active within their communities
§ Identify and promote local and National Initiatives and areas of good practice e.g. Expert Patient Programme
3.4 Improving access to services for specific communities
Partners are committed to ensuring equity of access to services and will:
§ Promote equality of opportunity generally without discrimination and specifically in relation to age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, faith and race
§ Promote equal status of the Welsh Language
§ Consider rural areas in the planning of services in line with Wales Rural Health Planning (2009)
§ Work with other organisations to offer a means of delivering services to specific client groups / communities
3.5 Promoting and improving health and wellbeing
§ Develop an effective strategic partnership to promote the health and well-being of local populations across North Wales
§ Encourage partnership approaches to tackling community needs and developing services
§ Promote local and national health prevention agenda’s for example Health Challenge Wales and the specific County Health Challenge initiatives
3.6 Volunteering for health and social care
To develop a shared vision of how partners can support and promote voluntary action, while respecting the volunteers’ independence and free choice, in particular the partners will:
§ Promote best practice principles within their organisation on the use of volunteers
§ Promote volunteering activity amongst the workforce of the partner agencies for the benefit of the community
§ Promote the adoption of best practice by Third Sector organisations in terms of management, employment and working with volunteers
§ Encourage and develop a professional workforce and promote the co-operation of paid and volunteer staff
§ Develop new opportunities for volunteers to engage with BCU service areas
§ Support existing volunteer schemes in BCU e.g. Robins
3.7 Developing social enterprise in health and social care
§ Embrace a Social Enterprise culture and embed the principles into the work of BCU HB in line with the current WAG Strategy
§ CVCs to provide support for organisations and individuals developing Social Enterprises to deliver service areas
3.8 Integrated services and workforce planning
All partners:
§ Will explore joint working opportunities and promote collaboration where appropriate
§ Will, where possible provide non-financial support as appropriate e.g. accommodation, staff support, training etc.
§ Recognise the benefit of shared resources and maximise opportunities from cooperative working
§ Are committed to the value of training and staff development and will seek to design, commission and deliver joint training programmes
3.9 Reducing hospital admissions and improved discharge
Partners will:
§ Explore and share examples of good practice in relation to re-admission avoidance and early discharge
§ Work in collaboration to develop joint initiatives to facilitate early discharge from hospital
3.10 Research & Development
§ Encourage participation in research and development opportunities
§ Promote links and collaboration with Universities in relation to the preventative health agenda and evidenced based approaches to collaborative health and well-being provision
4. Responsibilities of each partner
All partners will exercise their responsibilities by ensuring that they:
§ Have clear structures and defined roles in place with specified aims and objectives
§ Operate within the terms of their stated aims and objectives
§ Are accountable, as appropriate, to their members, their clients, the communities in which they work, the general public, the funding bodies that support their work and the regulatory bodies that oversee their activities
§ Assess the likely impact of policy changes on other partners, in consultation with those partners
§ Have effective employment policies, management arrangements and appropriate quality control procedures
§ Have robust governance arrangements in place, including management of risk etc. to ensure compliance with all necessary legislation
§ Ensure that they comply with all relevant legislative requirements e.g. Equality Act,
5. Implementation, Monitoring & Review
A ‘Funding Code of Practice’ including Service Level Agreements (SLA) and monitoring templates will be developed in partnership to complement the Compact. The aim of the supplementary Funding Code of Practice will be to provide guidance, promote consistency and avoid duplication administrative burden place on third sector organisations.
The operation and effectiveness of the ‘Compact’ and complementary ‘Funding Code of Practice’ will be monitored and reviewed locally by a North Wales Compact Group.
The Group membership will include:
§ 3 x CVC representatives
§ 3 x BCU HB representatives
The group will meet once a year and the remit of the group will include:
§ Adherence to the Compact
§ Consideration of an annual review report and contract monitoring report.
§ Budget discussions re future funding opportunities / cuts