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National Strategic Partnership Forum - Statement of Purpose

  • Document type:
    Publication
  • Author:
    Department of Health
  • Published date:
    21 July 2005
  • Primary audience:
    Professionals
  • Publication format:
    Electronic only
  • Gateway reference:
    5285
  • Copyright holder:
    Crown

The NSPF's role is to help the voluntary, community and public sectors work effectively together to deliver responsive, high quality health and adult social care services for patients, service users and carers

National Strategic Partnership Forum announces its Statement of Purpose

The National Strategic Partnership Forum is pleased to announce that it has produced its Statement of Purpose. 

The Statement of Purpose sets out how the NSPF will help the voluntary, community and public sectors to work together to deliver responsive, high quality health and adult social care services for patients, service users and carers.  It will influence policy as well as influence the development of the financial relationship between voluntary, community and public sectors.

 The NSPF will also define and demonstrate the impact of partnership working between the voluntary, community and public sectors.  It will also identify good practice, share physical resources and propose solutions to areas of misunderstanding or poor practice.

Statement of Purpose

The NSPF's role is to help the voluntary, community and public sectors work effectively together to deliver responsive, high quality health and adult social care services for patients, service users and carers.

It will do this by, at every level:

  • defining and demonstrating the distinctive added value and impact of partnership working between the voluntary, community and public sectors
  • Influencing the policy, planning and commissioning environment within which services can be delivered in partnership
  • Identifying lessons from good practice, sourcing and sharing practical resources as appropriate and proposing solutions to areas of misunderstanding or poor practice
  • influencing the development of a  mature understanding of the financial relationship between voluntary, community and public sectors

The NSPF is a Departmental Working Group of the Department of Health and reports to Ministers.  Its membership consists of individuals representing organisations from the VCS, NHS and social care, local government and Department of Health. 

Core values

The primary principle underpinning the purpose and work of the Forum is its commitment to improving the experience of patients, service users and carers.

The Forum does not speak for any one sector but is itself an example of partnership working.  Additionally, the NSPF believes that:

  • Pooling the experience and expertise of the different sectors represented will contribute to improved experiences for patients, service users and carers.
  • Service delivery by voluntary and community sector organisations is an important means of boosting social capital.
  • Delivery of its remit will have the greatest chance of success if two-way channels of communication are developed with all stakeholders and relevant public sector and VCS networks.
  • Wider consultation on the development and implementation of its recommendations will normally be desirable.

Desired outcomes

The Forum aims to contribute to the following outcomes: 

  • Plurality of provision and increased choice that benefit patients, service users and carers
  • An understanding of the market and the distinctive added value that VCS involvement in health and social care can provide
  • Fairness and transparency in competition among VCS organisations, and between them and other providers
  • The articulation of a framework for change in health and social care which builds on the principles and undertakings of the Compact
  • Close liaison and integration of activities between health and social care services and with other relevant departments that impact on the lives of patients, service users and carers
  • Mutual understanding across the DH, NHS & Social Care and the voluntary and community sector
  • A stronger, more effective funding relationship across the DH, NHS & Social Care and the voluntary and community sector, which supports the sustainability of the VCS in health and social care. This includes strategic planning and commissioning aligned with procurement and contracting at local level.
  • The development of tools for change, signposting the way to true, effective and sustainable partnership through evidence-based innovation and good practice

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