Health, Social Care & Well Being

The voluntary and community sector has a key role to play in promoting health, social inclusion and well-being. The provision of health promotion, health services and social care services is no longer just the domain of statutory services, but requires strong and co-ordinated partnerships accross the NHS, Local Authorities, voluntary and private sector organisations.

The shift from provision of health services within actute hospital settings to community based services has provided opportunities for the voluntary sector. The voluntary sector is often best placed to consult with people to enable them to be involved in shaping services to meet thier needs, ensuring access to flexible, responsive services as close to home as possible. Community groups can often engage with people who would not normally feel comfortable accessing statutory sector services, they can be flexible and innovative in undertaking projects that statutory services would not be in a position to carry out, often delivering improved outcomes as a result. The sector has an important function in empowering citizens of Wales to live more vibrant and fulfilling lives through supporting people to reach their potential through advocacy, advice and self care initiatives, and has a powerful lobbying role to advocate more widely on behalf of members and service users to bring about changes in policy to tackle the wider determinents of health such as the environmental, social and economic factors that impact on society as a whole.

The changing landscape of health and social care services, whilst providing opportunities for the sector also presents a number of challenges. The movement away from grant funds to a commissioning model has meant that voluntary organisations involved in the delivery of public services have had to become competent in participating with procurement and tendering processes, and the NHS reorganisation has led to a period of uncertainty. However the movements towards sustainable longer term contract arrangements and improved governance and partnership working, has underpinned the added value that the sector can bring to the health, social care and well-being agenda.