CVS Fife - 23-27 Randolph Street, Buckhaven KY8 1AT (Map)
T: 01592 567001 - F: 01592 567009 - E: cvsfife@cvsfife.org
Health & Wellbeing Forums – Three Years On
The Fife Voluntary Sector Health & Wellbeing Forums were set up in 2005 in response to the establishment, by the Scottish Executive (as was), of the Community Health Partnerships (CHPs). It was agreed to set up three Voluntary Sector Health & Wellbeing Forums (to run in parallel with the three Fife CHPs) from which a Voluntary Sector Representative would be elected to sit on each of the three CHPs.
We have been running with this set up for the past three years and following discussion with the Chairs and Voluntary Sector Reps from each of the Voluntary Sector Health & Wellbeing Forums it has been agreed to look at another, perhaps more effective, option for engaging with the Health and Wellbeing agenda. Whereas the Voluntary Sector Health & Wellbeing Forums have operated generically we believe we may be more effective operating around more thematically based Voluntary Sector Forums. This would provide opportunities for those involved in providing particular services, for example in the mental health field or in the area of older people’s services, to come together and share good practice as well as tackling common issues.
An event was organised at the Rothes Halls on 16th April in order to seek the views of the Voluntary Sector in relation to the proposal to restructure the Forums on a thematic basis. The event was attended by over 70 representatives from voluntary sector organisations involved in improving health and wellbeing throughout Fife, as well as representatives from NHS Fife and Fife Council and overall there was a general acceptance of the proposal to move towards thematic forums.
A full report of the event, feedback from the workshops and copies of the presentations that were delivered on the day can be found in documents and publications.
The Chairs and Representatives from the three existing Health & Wellbeing Forums, along with representatives from CVS Fife, will be meeting with the Chairs and Managers of the three Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) on 9th May in order to discuss how the Voluntary Sector and the CHPs can best work together to improve health and wellbeing in Fife.
Members of staff from CVS Fife are also meeting with representatives from existing forums to discuss the work that is already being done in these areas and explore possible structures for developing the voluntary sector forums.
Once these meetings have been completed, a plan of action will be drawn up and we will report back to you with suggestions as to how the new forums might proceed.
In the meantime, we would encourage you to keep visiting the health section of the CVS Fife website, where minutes and papers from various meetings, as well as relevant documents and consultations are posted regularly for your information.
Purpose
As part of the NHS Scotland reform, three Community Health Partnerships have been created for Fife, and the new CHPs will be at the heart of health care planning and delivery. Each CHP has one voluntary sector representative.
In response to the creation of these CHPs, the voluntary sector in Fife has created three Health & Well-being Forums, matching the same geographical areas as the three CHPs:
These Health & Well-being Forums have two primary functions. The first is to provide support and expert knowledge to the voluntary sector CHP representative for each area. This allows the representative to be confident representing the sector and allows the CHP Committee to be confident that its voluntary sector representative has a valid mandate from the sector to comment on, support or oppose any given issue. The second function of the forums is to participate in the wider Health & Well-being Agenda in Fife, covering topics such as the Joint Health Improvement Plan.
The Voluntary Sector Representatives
There are three Voluntary Sector Representatives, one for each CHP.
- Kirkcaldy & Levenmouth CHP – Jim Bett from FAAS
- Glenrothes & North East Fife CHP – Isobel Wilson from Leonard Cheshire
- Dunfermline & West Fife CHP – Jessie Roberts from PAMIS
These representatives have been elected through a Fife wide election process which reflects the fact that although the CHPs are generally geographic in nature, the voluntary sector is not. The role of the representatives is to represent and advocate on behalf of the voluntary sector in Fife on each CHP, to take forward issues raised by the sector and to bring to the sector any important issues arising from the activities of the CHP. For more information about each representative, each forum and each CHP click on the relevant link above.
Lyndsay Macadam, Development / Capacity Building Officer
CVS Fife, 23-27 Randolph Street, Buckhaven, Fife KY8 1AT
T: 01592 567001 - E: lyndsay.macadam@cvsfife.org
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