Health and wellbeing board VCS engagement- survey results published

Regional Voices has published the full survey report from the survey conducted earlier this year about how the voluntary and community sector (VCS) is engaging with health and wellbeing boards (HWB).

Thank you again to everyone who responded, sharing their experiences from across England- making it a grand total of 780 people responding over the three surveys.

Specific questions were asked to VCS representatives on health and wellbeing boards, Healthwatch reps on the boards and to the wider VCS, interested in engaging with the HWB.

This has been the third survey about VCS engagement with health and wellbeing boards.  Encouragingly, some good practice for how boards involve the VCS is emerging. However, some challenges remain and it feels like the VCS is continuing to be under-utilised by local partners in health and care.

Although there is considerable desire in the VCS to work with HWBs, only 22% of respondents reported being able to link in with local Healthwatch or a sub-group of the HWB and around 30% were able to raise issues with a VCS rep and only 9% of respondents felt their organisation was linked with the work of the HWB (a reduction since the last survey).

The survey captures good practice and challenges and makes recommendations to help improve development of working links between the VCS, Healthwatch and health and wellbeing boards.

Link to read the survey report and summary with recommendations