North East London VCFSE Collaborative
As part of our work connecting faith communities with health and care, we are interested in exploring opportunities to represent grassroots faith communities within local NHS structures.
Local NHS services are commissioned by Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), and all ICBs have committed to working with the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sectors in their areas.
In North East London (NEL), this happens through something called the NEL VCFSE Collaborative. Since Summer 2025, we have been the faith representative on the Collaborative, ensuring the faith voice is represented in key discussions within the ICB.
In June 2026, together with the Collaborative, we held a faith and health webinar, exploring how to better link NEL’s diverse communities to what’s happening in health and care. Following this, we will be launching a NEL-wide faith and health network.
The NEL VCFSE Collaborative recently launched its Equitable System Partnership strategy, laying out key pillars for collaboration across health and VCFSE. This strategy sets the direction of travel for the work of the Collaborative going forward.
More about the VCFSE Collaborative
The NEL VCFSE Collaborative works closely with NHS North East London to provide strategic input and representation for the VCFSE across NEL and ensures a two way flow of communication from VCFSE to the ICB. Tower Hamlets CVS currently hosts the NEL VCFSE Collaborative.
The NEL VCFSE Collaborative currently meets monthly with participation of VCFSE across the 7 London places (City and Hackney, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest) as well as five thematic representatives (Workforce and Volunteers, Long Term Conditions (LTC), Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism, Babies, Children and Young People, and Faith to work with the ICB and to contribute in a meaningful way to health outcomes.
The NEL VCFSE Collaborative is committed to five values:
- Equity and inclusivity – Championing compassionate, collaborative, and inclusive multi-professional leadership.
- Collaborative – Meaningful integration with the ICB as a coordinated VCFSE voice.
- Innovative – VCFSE sector contributing expertise in an equitable manner in commissioning, service design and improvement processes.
- Transparent – Building trust across sectors and ensuring the VCFSE is a valued partner.
- Person and community focused – Strengths-based approach by championing our people and communities.
For more information, email nelvcse@thcvs.org.uk.
