Jo Davies runs through changes to the health and social care landscape after a year on maternity leave.
Jo Davies, Head of Health and Social Care at WCVA, had her first child 12 months ago. She explains how she’s found the transition back to work and what’s changed in health and care during that time.
THE PAST 12 MONTHS
Birth is tough, breastfeeding is tough and sleep disturbances are tough, but transitioning back into work after maternity leave is like stepping into a parallel universe. I wonder if it might start raining doughnuts at any moment. Kidding aside, I’m really pleased to be back at work and looking forward to getting stuck in… but stuck into what?
Whilst I’ve been on leave, many things in the health and social care policy world that were gestating are now alive and starting to kick. The NHS Executive is taking shape, a National Social Care Office is in development and the Social Prescribing Framework is celebrating its first birthday!
However, while there might be positive progress in some areas, the reality faced by many voluntary sector organisations is that of financial struggle. Coming back after a year away, I can feel a noticeable fatigue, and fear for the future, from many in the sector. Thankfully the Sustainable Social Services grant has been extended for another year. However, early and continuous dialogue with Welsh Government about what comes next is critical in securing the future of organisations supported by this and other public sector funding streams.
PLANS FOR 2025
Hopefully the Health and Care Project will receive funding to continue for a further five years, and so as a team we have been reflecting on our Theory of Change and corresponding Delivery Plan. What we want to achieve is ambitious, but one thing is clear, we need you, the voluntary sector.
Here’s just some of the things we want to get going in the new year:
- Reignite a national conversation about the voluntary sector’s role in hospital to home support.
- Connect with third sector representatives working across regional and national influencing spaces.
- Identify projects to take forward a Helpforce Cymru volunteering project evaluation.
- Work with academic partners on a project to economically evaluate the contribution of the voluntary sector’s role in prevention support.
- Create a vibrant library of case studies that showcase the role and value the voluntary sector brings to the health and care system – please get in touch if you want to be involved.
- Support the launch of the revised Code of Practice for Funding the Third Sector by developing practice around sustainable, longer-term funding in the health and care system.
THANK YOU
As we start the New Year, I want to thank everyone working and volunteering to support health and wellbeing in Wales. I’m proud to be part of the voluntary sector and to represent you and the fabulous work you do in my interactions with people across the health and care system. I hope that through the HSC Project we can support the sector to be valued and trusted as equal partners in health and wellbeing, and campaign for adequate resourcing to enable it to fulfil this role in the long term.
CONTACT US
What do you hope for in health and care in 2025? Drop us a line at healthandcare@wcva.cymru and let us know!