Building Alliances
Since 2021 Healthwatch Herefordshire and Community Power have played a key role in developing an alliance approach across our Integrated Care board footprint in Herefordshire and Worcestershire with two different place based approaches. Key representatives from the VCSE are embedded in forums across health and care in both Herefordshire & Worcestershire feeding into both alliance structures below.
Herefordshire
In Herefordshire this work started with an open forum meeting every other month initially prompted by guidance for local systems from NHS England, bringing together VCSE organisations and health and care system partners to work more collaboratively and develop partnerships. This has been part of the governance reporting in to the place partnership One Herefordshire.
With the Herefordshire innovator site for the national neighbourhood health models developing from 2025 a strategic grouping of VCSE leaders 'Herefordshire Community Anchors' have also been working closely with health partners on Neighbourhood health as key strategic members of the Neighbourhood health delivery board and the One Herefordshire Health & Care Partnership board. This work has largely been unfunded to date.
Worcestershire
The Worcestershire VCSE Alliance brings together voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations across Worcestershire to strengthen the voice, influence and contribution of the sector. Working collaboratively with statutory partners, the Alliance aims to improve health and wellbeing, reduce inequalities and ensure the VCSE sector is recognised as an equal and valued strategic partner in shaping local services and solutions.
Community Power is the host organisation for the Alliance work programme, providing the infrastructure, staffing and operational support needed to turn the Alliance’s ambitions into action. We work alongside and support Independent Chair Sarah Dugan and the Alliance Board, helping to coordinate sector engagement, representation, communications, partnership development and delivery of the Alliance’s priorities, while ensuring the Alliance remains independently led by and accountable to the Worcestershire VCSE sector. This work is currently funded by the Integrated Care Board in Worcestershire for 26-27.
Alliance 42
As alliance lead organisation for Herefordshire & Worcestershire Community Power are part of the network of alliances across England, working with national bodies and sharing best practice for developing strategic infrastructure to embed the VCSE in to Health systems. https://www.navca.org.uk/alliance42
VCSE Faculty
Community Power have also chaired the ICS Academy VCSE Faculty which is undertaking a training needs analysis across two counties for the sector in partnership with VCSE leaders and the ICB. Following this research work can begin on a training and development plan to strengthen the VCSE.
