Policy engagements

National Voices is actively working on a wide range of working parties, steering groups and other national processes, to bring the influence of patient, service user and carer voices to bear.

Below is a selection of current policy engagements.

Caring for Our Future
The Government is asking for engagement in preparing for a Social Care White Paper expected in the Spring. The Social Care White Paper is set to pick up on the proposals from the Dilnot Commission and also the Law Commission Report last summer.

Six workstreams have been set up each with an independent co-lead, three of whom come from the voluntary sector. Jeremy Hughes, Chair of National Voices and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Society), is leading the group on Personalisation; Imelda Redmond (CEO of Carers UK) is leading the group on Quality and Workforce; Alex Fox (CEO of Shared Lives Plus, formerly NAAPS) is leading on Prevention. The other three are on Shaping Local Care Services; Integration and the Role of Financial Services.

DH Strategic Partners Programme

National Voices is an official strategic partner to the Department of Health, one of a number of Third Sector organisations working on emerging policy across the department.

NHS Future Forum (1) and (2)

National Voices chief executive Jeremy Taylor was a member of this independent panel which held a listening exercise to help improve the government's health reforms. A reconstituted Forum will meet in autumn 2011 to examine four new areas, and Jeremy will be co-leader of the 'information' workstream.

Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership

National Voices is a member of the consortium that runs this key programme of clinical audits for the NHS.

HealthWatch

Represented on the Local HealthWatch Programme Board and Advisory Group.

Care and Support Alliance

Member of this campaign group of over 50 organisations working for improved social care, currently campaigning on the issues raised by the Dilnot Commission on funding, and the Law Commission's report on the legal framework for social care. Their website can be found here.

The CSA is hosted by Carers UK. You can see the group's submission to the Dilnot Commission here.

Shared decision making steering group (QIPP)

The key challenge facing the NHS to 2014 is to deliver the quality, innovation, productivity and prevention goals to achieve better services within the NHS' financial means. Within its Right Care programme is a workstream on implementing shared decision making for patients, of which we are a steering group member.

Transforming the relationship between citizens and services (TRACS)

Member of the Programme Board for this DH programme anticipating the 'information revolution' in healthcare.

Professional Records Standards Group

Member of this multidisciplinary group making recommendations for the standards to which record-keeping in the NHS should conform, and how these are accredited.