Volunteering in the new UK policy context

Eddy McDowallHealth and wellbeing workstream lead

6th September 2012

A traditional view of UK volunteering?

An introduction to:UK Local Government and health services‘Big Society’Localism Act 2011Open Pubic Services – White Paper 2011Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012Health and Social Care Act 2012What this means for the voluntary sector and its relationship with heath and social care

45 minutes

Non-metropolitan countieseg: Kent, Oxfordshire

England & Wales local government

Unitary councileg: ReadingSouthamptonBristolIsle of Wight

District + City Councils: Kent has 12

Town + Parish Councils: Kent has 313

Social careSchoolsLocal roadsPlanningLeisureRubbish

HousingParkingStreet lights

AllotmentsParksCommunity centres

Fire Service

Parish councils

All London boroughs

National Health Service (NHS) – national infrastructure NHS Commissioning Board – sub-national structure

Healthcare in England

NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups – groups of Doctors (GP) practices (commissioners)

NHS Foundation Trusts – locality and specialist providers

“It is a vital part of our mission to dismantle Big Government and build the Big Society in its place”

Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP, February 2011

Big Society is an umbrella political culture that looks to bring decisions about public services to the most local level.

Big Society

Localism Act 2011

A shift from central Government to local government Increase in general power of competence for local

government New rights for communities to challenge local

government about running of local services (England only) Opportunities for employees to take over running of local

services (England only) Opportunities for local organisations to bid for assets of

community value (England and Wales)

Community right to challenge

•Opens door for voluntary and community organisations to trigger procurement process•Possibility for 2+ local government employees to express an interest in running the service including social care provision•Comes into force in October 2012

Community assets

• Parish/ civic councils can nominate land or building to be included on list of local community assets

• Property to be included where current primary use important to social wellbeing (including social, leisure and culture)

• If building is to be disposed of, community has right to buy property at market rate

“Brick by brick, edifice by edifice, we are slowly dismantling the big-state”

Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP, March 2012

‘Replacing top-down monopolies with open networks in which diverse and innovative providers compete to provide the best and most efficient services for the public’

Cabinet Office 2012

Open Public Services White Paper 2011

Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012

“An Act to require public authorities to have regard to economic, social and environmental well-being in connection with public services contracts; and for connected purposes”

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/3/pdfs/ukpga_20120003_en.pdf

Summary definition of Social Value

Refers to wider non-financial impacts of programmes, organisations & interventions, including:

wellbeing of individuals & communities social capital & environment

Looks at collective benefit to community when public body awards contract

£1 = £1 x 2?

Social value asks: If £1 is spent on the delivery of services, can that same £1 be used to produce a wider benefit to the community?

Act’s intentions

Mental health services to be delivered by organisation actively employing people with history of mental health problems to help deliver serviceSocial value of commissioning services through person with mental health problems:

having a job - may be otherwise unemployed becoming more socially included having a say in how mental health services are run a local job for a local person

Case study: Southwark, London

Southwark Council tendered for a new catering supplier in 2010.Wanted provider to provide good quality food, value for money and social value for moneyUnity Kitchen provides paid apprenticeships and employment opportunities for local people with learning disabilitiesProfits reinvested to provide additional opportunities for people with disabilities across LondonUnity Kitchen immediately created 14 new jobs for local people with disabilities, who used day services funded by Council, therefore saving social care services money

Biggest changes to NHS since 1948 Introduction of democratic accountability to local

health services Strengthening of public voice in commissioning of local

health and social care services

Health and Social Care Act

Health and wellbeing boards

Local statutory boards including:•Directors of Adult Services, Children Services and Public Health•Local Councillors•General Practitioners•Public voiceWith commissioning oversight of social care and health resources locally

What does this mean for the UK voluntary and community sector?

Increased opportunities for new contracts in health and social care

A move away from tea and sympathy to a business focus

A need for a co-ordinated approach across Voluntary and Community Sector

Other factors?For•Inspiration from Olympics ‘games makers’•G4S – poor management of Games security contract•‘Personalisation’•Step to employment

Against•Public service funding cuts•Postcode lottery•General Election in 2015

Eddy McDowallHealth and wellbeing workstream lead

eddy.mcdowall@hscpartnership.org.uk 078 107 570 91

www.hscpartnership.org.uk