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Towards a strategy to support volunteering in health and social care: consultation

  • Last modified date:
    30 September 2008
  • Gateway reference:
    9841

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Scope of consultation

A volunteering strategy for health and social care will articulate the key actions needed to address the perceived obstacles to making a refreshed vision for volunteering in health and social care a reality.  Informed by this consultation process, the proposed strategy will provide a framework through which to pursue long-term organisational and culture change across the whole system to support volunteering more effectively, in relation to:

  • individual volunteers
  • effective management within organisations
  • commissioning environment and infrastructure
  • promoting partnership, and
  • leadership, across the public and third sectors

The strategy will build on existing best practice and develop partnerships for sustained involvement of volunteers through an increasingly diverse range of services in statutory and non-statutory settings.  It will provide the basis for more coherent national investment by the Department of Health, to improve the strategic impact of volunteering, for the benefit of patients, carers and service users.

Timing

The consultation, launched by Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, on 3 June, will run until 30 September 2008, with a view to publication of a final strategy and implementation plan in early 2009. 

Responses to the consultation will be used to refine and develop a clear vision for how volunteering fits into the health, well-being and social care system, and inform the development of a final strategy.

Press release

Baroness Julia Neuberger (the Government's volunteering champion) says:

"I welcome the consultation and I am pleased that the Department of Health have taken on board one of the main messages of my recent review of volunteers in health and social care - that there needs to be a cultural change to a health service that truly appreciates the value of volunteers, and that they need to be invested in. I look forward to seeing how the Department of Health will turn these wise words into practical actions on the ground."

Fiona Dawe OBE, Chief Executive, YouthNet says:

“By embracing volunteering at the heart of health and social care, the Department of Health is recognising the vital contribution of millions of people, including patients and service users themselves, volunteering their time in critical roles to support and empower vulnerable people, something we strongly endorse.

www.do-it.org.uk is the central place online for volunteering and currently has over 21,500 opportunities in health and social care - testimony to the vital work of over 1,700 organisations in England.

We believe there is still more to be done to promote a culture of volunteering across the NHS, including ensuring the involvement of more young people, and we look forward to further engaging with the Department of Health on this exciting strategy.”

Background on the Third Sector Partnership Team

The Third Sector Partnership Team acts as the strategic focus within the DH for promoting the Third Sector, and volunteering, in the context of health and social care policy and service development and delivery, including embedding the Compact. The Third Sector Partnership team also manages the Department’s key VCS funding streams, the S64 General Scheme of Grants and the Opportunities for Volunteering Scheme.

Strategic review of Department of Health third sector funding and investment

The strategic review of funding and investment to Third Sector Organisations completed a consultation on the 20th March 2008 and is currently in the process of developing options for the future utilising the feedback and contributions received during the consultation period. The review will affect change to the way the Department invests in third sector organisations.

Consultation documents and workshops

The consultation document, impact assessments, questions and answers, alternative format documents, the online consultation questionnaire and feedback from consultation workshops will be found at:

Contact details

  • Contact:
    Third Sector Partnership Team
  • Address:
    Area 5E40, Quarry House
    Quarry Hill
    Leeds, LS2 7UE
  • Phone:
    0113 25 45122
  • Fax:
    0113 25 46177
  • Email:
    volunteeringstrategy@dh.gsi.gov.uk

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