The Stronger Communities Strategic Group has recently agreed a Draft Plan for consultation and would welcome your comments. Please feedback to Nick Tromans - ntromans@solihull.gov.uk – by 24th September 2010.
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Consultations
Radical reforms to the NHS are planned by the new government which will have implications and present opportunities for Third Sector organisations providing health care services. To find out more on the proposed changes, go to www.dh.gov.uk/liberatingtheNHS.
Alternatively, find the relevant documents at Solihull LINk at www.solihulllink.co.uk. You can also express your views and discuss the changes at www.communityvoicesonline.org/discussions. Just click on Public Health Information and the discussion topic HealthWatch.
The consultations close on 11th October 2010.
Your views are needed on a National Skills Strategy for the voluntary sector. The government has pledged support to voluntary sector organisations in delivering the Big Society, particularly in providing more public services and building strong communities. Charities, social enterprises and other voluntary sector organisations need people with the right skills in the right numbers to make a difference.
A national Skills Strategy represents the foresight needed to bring about the kind of workforce for a thriving and professional voluntary sector. Skills-Third Sector’s public consultation with the sector to develop the National Skills Strategy involves nine regional roundtables and an online consultation. For more information or to take part and have your say, visit the Skills-Third Sector website.
West Midlands Ambulance Service has developed a patient survey for anyone who has dialled 999 for medical assistance. This service will be another avenue of measuring patient experience so that they can improve the service they deliver. The survey can be accessed via www.wmas.nhs.uk or by telephoning the Patient Experience Department on 01384 246370 to request a paper copy of the survey or talk through it with one of the team.
Solihull Council now has a legal responsibility to tackle child poverty. The Child Poverty Act received Royal Assent on 25 March 2010, and requires the Council and other statutory partners to prepare a joint strategy to tackle child poverty. But Solihull Council is ahead of the game; with nearly 5,000 children living in poverty in the borough the council realised it was time to act.
Last November the council ran a workshop on child poverty with colleagues from the statutory and third sectors. In that workshop they decided that the best outcome for Solihull would be to produce a borough wide strategy to incorporate all residents, communities and services and not just those linked to children. So the process to creating a holistic ‘Action Against Poverty Strategy’ for Solihull was started.
This strategy will cover everyone experiencing poverty in Solihull but it will have a strong focus on eradicating child poverty. Through the strategy the council aims to:
- Encourage the conviction that poverty is ‘everybody’s business’
- Work across the Solihull Partnership to develop and deliver solutions.
- Have a clear understanding of the drivers of poverty in Solihull.
- Be set within the context and link into the refresh of the Sustainable Community Strategy.
- Build on what we are already doing.
A project team has been established to work on the strategy and is currently concentrating on producing a needs assessment and developing the approach to engagement.
We want to identify groups or individuals who may engage with us to help understand the drivers and effects of poverty. If you, your organisation and/or any of your service users would be willing to contribute to the consultative process please contact the AAPS team by email at aaps@solihull.gov.uk or telephone 0121 704 8549.
Many of our organisations involved in supporting people will understand the impact that health, well-being, addiction and other issues can have on the income to a home and how that can, in turn, affect children. Please consider whether your organisation might be able to assist with this important programme.
