What We Do - Strategic Aim 1

To promote strategic partnerships between the voluntary and statutory sectors at all levels for health improvement and health care in Scotland.

• We continue to work in partnership with the Scottish Government Health and Wellbeing Directorate (SGHWD) and with NHS Scotland to take forward the actions listed in Better Health, Better Care (2007)

• VHS has contributed to the continuation of Meeting the Shared Challenge programme (2008), which takes forward the community-led approach to health improvement in Scotland.

• As an active member of the Scottish Government's Community Health Partnerships (CHP) Development Group, VHS has supported the role of the voluntary and community sector within CHPs.
  Two advice notes on involving the sector have been produced: Further advice note on the role of voluntary sector members of Community Health Partnerships (June 2007) | Involving the Voluntary Sector (February 2005).

• VHS supports Councils of Voluntary Service, Volunteer Centres and the new interfaces to engage with national and local health policy and to facilitate the role of the voluntary and community sector in CHPs and Public Partnership Forums (PPFs).

For further information on national strategic partnership work, contact:
Helen Tyrrell, Director, on 0131 220 9943
(helen.tyrrell@vhscotland.org.uk)

For further information on Community Health Partnerships, contact:
Bill Weir, Partnership Development Officer, on 0131 220 9942
(bill.weir@vhscotland.org.uk)