Chair and Chief Executive’s report
in the voluntary and community sector. 2010/11, however, felt fairly unprecedented in recent years in terms of change. New government, new policies, new legislation and another huge shake up in the world of health and social care. However, The Care Forum carried on delivering its work to promote health and wellbeing for all and to challenge inequalities in health and social care policy and services. The Care Forum’s successes over 2010/11 included the launch of Well Aware, an online database of health and wellbeing services in the local areas supported by a freephone telephone number. Well Aware is supported by three local authorities and three primary care trusts in B&NES, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire and demonstrates clearly the benefits of partnership working across sectors and geographical boundaries. The Care Forum successfully bid in partnership to deliver advocacy services in South Gloucestershire, and nationally some of the work of the Bristol and South Gloucestershire Local Involvement networks has been referred to as examples of good practice.
At the end of the year we saw the funding from Change Up come to an end, after three years of work developing capacity in infrastructure services to support the sector. However, a website and a range of resources are an important legacy to the sector which continue to be well used.
The uncertain times have not always been easy, but a strong emphasis on collaboration, working in partnership, and the staff team’s determination to improve health and social care for all have kept the organisation buoyant through uncertainty. We are both very grateful to all our staff and trustees for their commitment and look forward to more successes in 2011/12.
Rachel Robinson, Chief Executive, and Shirley Stephen, Chair of Board of Trustees
