Dear Colleagues,
A key aim of the Integrated Care System (ICS) is to improve health and care services for local people, specifically around the following:
- improve outcomes in population health and healthcare
- tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience and access
- enhance productivity and value for money
- help the NHS support broader social and economic development
There are 42 ICSs across the country. The ICS is a local partnership that brings health and care organisations together to develop shared plans and joined-up services. They are formed by NHS organisations and local authorities in the area and also include the VCSEF sector, social care providers and other partners with a role in improving local health and wellbeing.
In the Black Country, our ICS is known as Healthier Futures, the website is accessible via this link: blackcountryics.org.uk
Here you can find up to date information, including what happened at the latest Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) meeting and the latest ICP Outline Strategy 2025-2028 which sets out three broad strategic priorities: prosperity, prevention and population health.
In October 2024, the government launched Change NHS to hear people’s views, experiences, and ideas to help shape a new 10 Year Health Plan for England to be published in the summer.
The government is proposing sweeping changes to the NHS to reduce bureaucracy and waste within the current system with a concentration on long term population need and strategic commissioning.
There will be a greater focus on ‘Place’, for us, that means Wolverhampton and specifically the One Wolverhampton Board, and how we oversee and make change happen locally.
With that in mind, I am delighted to let you know that there will be presentations and updates by One Wolverhampton Board members at the next VCSEF Alliance Meeting which takes place on Tuesday 29th April 2025 at Bob Jones Community Hub, Blakenhall.
If you have not done so already, please book your tickets here.
The VCSEF Alliance Meetings take place four times a year, they are not partner meetings and are for the VCSEF sector only.
In other news, one of our very successful partnership projects has come to an end; Holistic Opportunities Preventing Exclusion (HOPE) News | Wolverhampton Voluntary & Community Action
WVCA partnered with the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) to deliver the programme. Over the past two years, HOPE has made a significant impact, helping to foster social connections and enhance community wellbeing.
During this time WVCA awarded over £85,000 to 21 grassroots organisations, supporting 23 community-led activities. These ranged from arts and crafts workshops, fitness sessions, and mental health support groups, to away days and social meetups. Each project played a crucial role in bringing people together, rebuilding confidence, strengthening support networks, and improving overall wellbeing, making a lasting positive impact on the community.
The HOPE Project demonstrates the power, influence and impact of the VCSEF sector in changing people’s lives. It provides clear evidence of how the VCSEF sector plays a fundamental role and is a key contributor within the ICS both now and for the future.
Thank you,
Sharon Nanan-Sen
Chief Executive Officer