North-East London VCFSE Collaborative launches new strategy

The North-East London (NEL) VCFSE Collaborative has launched its new strategy – Equitable System Partnership – outlining how it will work with the health and care system to improve outcomes for communities.

The Collaborative is the strategic link between the voluntary and faith sectors and the Integrated Care Board, and FaithAction sit on the Collaborative as the faith representative, ensuring the visibility and inclusion of the diverse faith and belief sector in these forums.

We’re delighted that this strategy, which we’ve helped shape, has been published. We hope the implementation of its recommendations will lead to positive change for the communities of North East London, as well as demonstration of best practice that can be showcased nationally.

Why this Strategy matters

North East London has some of the most diverse communities and some of the deepest health inequalities in the country. The voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector is often closest to the people most affected, but its insight and assets are still not consistently built into how the system plans, commissions and delivers care.

We know the scale, reach and diversity of the VCFSE in NEL is remarkable and this Strategy sets out how the NEL VCFSE Collaborative, NHS partners and LA partners will work together as an equitable system partnership.

The strategy introduces 7 strategic pillars for achieving this vision, including key recommendations around Neighbourhood working and effective integration.

At a local level, the strategy calls for:

• Neighbourhood teams to have consistent ways of involving local VCFSE partners in planning and delivery.
• Recognition of the role faith and community groups play in reaching people who don’t connect with formal services.
• Joint work to use community insight and data to shape local priorities and investment.

We’d love to hear what you think of the strategy, and your own experiences of working with the health system – whether in North East London, or wider.

You can access the strategy here: https://thcvs.org.uk/vcfse-resources/