Facing the Future - Proposed Third Sector Merger
22/12/2011Voluntary Health Scotland (VHS) and Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland (LTCAS) have entered into discussions with a view to merging both organisations into one single organisation. This is both an exciting and challenging time.
The Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland (LTCAS) is an independent charity funded by the Scottish Government through a Strategic Partnership Agreement. LTCAS has over 220 member organisations from across Scotland, including small grass-roots groups, medium and large third sector organisations and associate members from the statutory and independent sectors. LTCAS aims to ensure the voice of people living with long term conditions is heard by policy makers and service planners.
LTCAS is involved in a broad range of strategic activity, including representing the third sector on the Quality Alliance Board, managing the £2m Self Management Fund for Scotland and leading partnership activity on asset-based approaches, the Year of Active Ageing and the Reshaping Care for Older People Change Fund.
LTCAS’ vision is for a Scotland where people with long term conditions enjoy, not endure, full and positive lives, free from discrimination and supported by access to high quality services, information and support. LTCAS currently employs 15 staff and has its office in Glasgow. The Glasgow office includes a range of facilities open to LTCAS' members, including meeting rooms, hot desks and a developing information library.
VHS is also a member based organisation based in Edinburgh, who also work across Scotland and currently employ 4 staff.
VHS has a membership base of 190 members and Associate Member organisations and 200 individual members supporting and representing health related voluntary organisations to ensure they have a voice at local, regional and national level.
VHS’ direction of work is to support health improvement, develop and build capacity of the third sector, disseminate and collate views and information from the voluntary health sector to help shape and inform the development of public policy with the view to influencing local and regional strategic frameworks. In addition, VHS, over the last year has assisted in the development and delivery of specific education and training workshops.
The decision to work towards a merger was taken because the Boards of VHS and LTCAS believe that the new broader based organisation offers a sound platform from which to respond to the direction of travel in Scotland that seeks to integrate health and social care at both policy and service delivery level. This new broader based organisation would be well placed to represent its members more effectively.
The name of the new organisation is not yet confirmed but it is clear that it will continue to carry out and further develop upon the work of LTCAS and VHS.
Both organisations are entering into a phase of engagement with its members and stakeholders to collate views and wishes and are in a position to answer any questions during the consultation period. The Boards of VHS and LTCAS believe engagement with its members is vital for both organisations if they are to develop into a successful single organisation.
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