Join us for ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVES - a one day conference focusing on the role and relevance of culturally sensitive services in health and social care under the new commissioning systems.
In particular the day will explore how commissioners understand and engage with the BME sector. How can BME organisations enable health and social care commissioners meet key strategies for health and wellbeing whilst demonstrating value for money?
Many GPs have had little formal or contractual engagement with ethnic specific services in their area. This can result in a limited perspective of the role good quality BME services can play in increasing access to appropriate mainstream treatment services and prevention initiatives.
Indeed under intense pressure to maximise resources, many commissioners understandably reason that it cannot be cost effective to support services which only meet the needs of one or two ethnic groups.
- What impact does this position have for communities who find it difficult to engage with mainstream provision?
- Is there an alternative perspective?
- Are there models which can meet the needs of communities, demonstrate real value in terms of cost and effectiveness and which can actively support cohesion?
- What changes in thinking are required by government, commissioners and culturally specific providers to create partnerships and models that work?
The conference will explore these issues from the perspective of commissioners, BME providers and service customers.
Keynote Speakers:
Dr Mary Tilki, Principal Lecturer in Health and Social Policy / Chair, Federation of Irish Societies
Dr Mary Tilki has researched and published widely on cultural competence in health care, ethnic elders and inequality issues and the health of Irish people in Britain. Dr Tilki will join us to talk about successful partnerships between the Department of Health and BME community organisations in tackling key health concerns and increasing access to treatment and prevention services.
Patrick Vernon, CEO, The Afiya Trust
The Afiya Trust works to reduce inequalities in health and social care for racialised groups. Patrick Vernon, CEO will address the conference about the impact of cuts on BME communities and how the BME sector can enable Local Authorities and GP Commissioning groups to meet their key local strategies.
Jon Hannah, Head of NHS Equality Team, Department of Health
(detail to be confirmed)
Pragna Patel, Director, Southall Black Sisters
One of the Guardian’s Top 100 Women: Activist and campaigners in 2011 Pragna Patel joins us from Southall Black Sisters an organisation that works to meet the needs of black (Asian and African-Caribbean) and minority ethnic women.
Pragna will share her recent findings from ‘Safe and Sane’, an action research project recently delivered on the work of Southall Black Sisters, and will draw out what commissioners can learn from the report in regard to effective outcomes for BME communities.
Breakout sessions (on booking you will have an option to attend 2 out of the 4)
BREAKOUT 1
Before Breaking Point: Strategies to improve BME engagement with mental health services
Contributors
- Jeff Moore, Director of Welfare, London Irish Centre
- Improved Access to Psychological Therapies - Service Manager
- Immigrant Counselling and Psychotheraphy - Clinical Director
- Monica Swartz, CEO, Nafsiyat -Intercultural Therapy Centre
Two years on from the publication of the Department of Health’s ‘Psychological Therapies’ this session will explore questions about how this mental health strategy is being met without commissioned ethnic specific mental health services.
It will share examples of the challenges this strategy faces as culturally specific services struggle to apply the strategies into their own community provision.
The Improved Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme built partnerships with culturally specific services yet take-up remains low – why is that and are there example strategies which have resulted in increased BME engagement in mental health services?
This session will encourage you to explore the role BME groups can have in increasing sustained engagement of individuals with mental health services.
BREAKOUT 2
A modern model
Contributors
- Chaya Spitz, Director, Interlink Foundation
- Hackney Council Commissioning Team (tbc)
Interlink Foundation working with orthodox Jewish community in Hackney ward were able to create a consortium with the local Somalian, Turkish and African Caribbean services along with the mainstream local children centre to create a consortia which successful demonstrated universal access and value for money.
Interlink and Hackney Council Commissioning department will deliver a joint presentation about developing consortia to tender for and deliver public sector services. Hear the viewpoints of the Interlink, a lead organisation of a cross-cultural consortium, as well as a commissioner of services from Hackney Council.
A frank and open discussion about experiences so far and the challenges that continue on both sides of the commissioning process in exploring and developing new ways of working.
BREAKOUT 3
Multiple Discrimination in health and care
Contributors
- Professor Eleonore Kofman, Professor of Gender, Migration and Citizenship / Co-Director, Social Policy research Centre, Middlesex University
- Wai Yin - a key player in tackling needs of vulnerable Chinese in Manchester with focus on those at risk of Multiple discrimination
How can multiple discrimination be dealt with in the health and social care field and what implications does it have for commissioners and service providers alike in supporting people from BME communities?
Ethnic inequalities in health and healthcare are widely acknowledged, but there is growing concern about multiple discrimination, where a person’s multiple identities intersect in a way that cannot be separated out.
We are all diverse, complex and multi-layered however frequently people get identified under one characteristic at a time.
This breakout will explore how ethnicity, age, gender, disability and other factors interact with each other to increase vulnerability amongst for example ethnic elders or people with learning disabilities from BME groups.
BREAKOUT 4
From Big Lottery Fund to grassroots delivery: A funders perspective
Contributor
- Anne Flynn, Equalities Manager, Big Lottery Fund
Since 2004 The Big Lottery Fund has awarded grants of over £4.4 billion to projects supporting health, education, environment and charitable purposes. Anne Flynn joins Alternative Perspectives to share her experiences as Equalities Manager at The Big Lottery Fund. In particular Anne will share:
- Big Lottery Fund’s approach to funding culturally specific projects
- Research commissioned by the Big Lottery Fund into BME services
- Examples of projects funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the impact grants to BME organisations have made
For commissioners this session will be a useful exploration of how other funders deal with culturally specific projects and service proposals. For voluntary groups it provides an essential insight in the types of projects that have been successful in achieving Big Lottery Grants and what impact the grant and delivery had on BME groups
Please note: This is not a workshop on how to apply for funding to the Big Lottery Fund
This conference is for:
- Health and Social Care Commissioners
- BME voluntary organisations
- Funders supporting culturally specific services
- Policy think-tanks
Cancellation and refund policy
All delegate fees must be paid in advance of the conference. Your fee is fully refundable, provided you cancel in writing more than seven working days before the conference. No refunds are available for cancellations within seven working days of the event, though substitutions can be made at any time. Federation of Irish Socities members that cancel their place within seven working days of the event will be charged the full amount.
Programme
The conference organisers reserve the right to vary the published programme of speakers and the timing of the sessions.
