Health - from the NICVA Policy Manifesto
Posted by Feargal O'Kane on Feb 12 2007 under Health and wellbeing, Policy Manifesto |
The voluntary and community sector has always been involved in health issues as both an advocate and service provider; State of the Sector IV records 440 organisations working on health or social care. It is essential that the role of the sector is fully appreciated and that statutory bodies build on the improvements that have been made in recent years in involving the sector in developing and delivering health strategies.
The sector believes that active policies to tackle poverty and social exclusion are essential to improving health and wellbeing. It is an issue that spans all government departments and public bodies (eg education, employment, sport, the arts, transport, fuel poverty) and therefore requires coordinated strategies to be effective.
Human rights and equality demand that the needs of all client groups must be considered, including migrant workers and asylum seekers who may have special health needs and may have difficulty understanding how to access health services.
We believe there is a serious mismatch between government’s stated objectives and its funding decisions. In particular, the amount of money devoted to prevention and promoting healthy lifestyles is grossly inadequate compared with spending on acute services. Increased investment in the voluntary and community sector, with its ethos of community development, would allow it to step up its contribution to health, exercise and wellbeing; to the reduction of health inequalities; and to empowering marginalised individuals to consider their own health needs.
Government and political parties should commit to changes that aim to achieve a healthy and active population:
- Core funding should be awarded to voluntary and community organisations to promote health and wellbeing, especially among disadvantaged groups, and projects should be funded on a full cost recovery basis.
- Investment in healthy living options should be substantially increased (eg promoting sport and exercise, ‘walking buses’ to school, open play areas and green space). Emphasis should be given to physical activity such as walking and cycling that is integrated into people’s everyday lives.
- People should also be given greater opportunities to volunteer, to do education and training courses and to be involved as active citizens, since participation promotes good health, especially among older people.
- Greater priority should be given to ensuring people have access to healthy and affordable food and are aware of the importance of good food; this should include healthy meals in schools.
- The Review of Public Administration provides an opportunity to cut bureaucracy and increase the involvement of users and communities. The new system should adopt best practice in involving and consulting users and representative groups in the voluntary and community sector.
- Recommendations arising out of the Bamford Review should be fully implemented; in particular there is a need for improved services for young people with mental health problems and learning disability.
- A high quality health service must include effective advice, information and counselling (eg on bereavement).
- The role of the voluntary and community sector in developing self-management programmes for people with long-term medical conditions needs to be recognised and those organisations involved as full partners in any new expert patient programme.
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