Health and Community Care are major priorities in the lives of many people in our communities. Funding pressures, changing demographics and many more factors are creating major challenges for us all in how we support and enable people to live well and for longer. Inevitably, the third sector has a strong interest in this field - we're about reducing inequalities, helping people to find their voice and advocating for better services. The third sector is increasingly being recognised as a significant provider of high quality services and support for people with health and care issues.

The two main partnership areas we support locally for taking forward health and social cares issues are the Community Care and Health Forum (CCHF) and the Public Partnership Forum (PPF). We lead on the CCHF and NHS Forth Valley leads on the PPF.

Community Care and Health Forum (CCHF)
The CCHF is open to third sector organisations with an interest in community care, health and social care issues. The Forum is well established locally and has developed a good reputation within the third sector and also with our public sector partners. Colleagues from statutory partners often attend meetings which proves helpful for them as well as third sector members. Key aspects of the Forum include:
• The forum can act as a collective voice and provide a vocal point for consultation with Health and public sector partners
• It can also be a catalyst for change, encouraging service providers to include s/users and carers in all aspects of service standards, delivery, policy and decision-making.
• The forum's activities will depend on the needs and priorities of its members and on the resources available
• Members are provided with relevant information on community care, health and social care developments
• Training is made available and opportunities provided to all member organisations
• Development of new community care initiatives highlighted and discussion and debate on what is working well and what can be improved is encouraged

Benefits for members include:
• Smaller organisations have access to information, advice and support
• Dedicated resource (full time staff member)
• Training opportunities: Group work, effective meetings, recruitment, lobbying & campaign skills training volunteers
• A collective voice on community care, health and social care issues
• Opportunity to identify gaps in provision of services
• Forum to feedback on current services

For further information please contact Jim Thompson, Community Care and Development Officer, on 01324 692013 or e-mail jim@cvsfalkirk.org.uk

Public Partnership Forum (PPF)
For those interested in local healthcare there are Public Partnership Forums (PPFs) in Stirling, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire. Each has six elected representatives to take views from their wider community to the Community Health Partnerships (CHPs). The PPFs hold meetings with their communities every two months to discuss different topics and their local impact.

For further information please contact: Jessie-Anne Malcolm, PPF Development Co-coordinator, on 01324 614660 or e-mail jessie.malcolm@nhs.net