Trades Hall Glasgow
9.30 am – 4 pm, Wednesday 12th September 2007

The conference aims to reflect on the growing role for social enterprises in the health and care sector. With an emphasis on the trading opportunities, the event will feature contributions from social enterprises, health professionals and policy makers, from Scotland and the rest of the UK. Examples of social enterprises who have successfully secured contracts with the NHS will provide insight into the process with a number of case studies.

Download [FILE2 health_conf_programme_and_booking.doc, Draft Programme and Booking form (Word doc)]

Background

In January 2007, the UK Government announced a £73 million funding boost for social enterprise in the health and care sector. Health Minister Ivan Lewis said "Social enterprises will have a key role in the reform of how health and community services are delivered. Social enterprises have enormous potential to transform the way in which health and social care services are delivered. Social enterprise has a strong track record of revolutionising services in other sectors, involving staff and users in the design, delivery and management of services. We hope to see this transformation replicated in health and social care."

At the Scottish Conference "from social economy to social enterprise" in February 2007, Rhona Brankin, Minister for Communities, stated, "Social enterprise has demonstrated that it can work in many sectors of the Scottish economy. We value the sector's role because social enterprises come up with new solutions that work; solutions that the Public Sector could never deliver!"

Social enterprises are businesses that provide social or environmental goods and services, and re-invest their surpluses. Social enterprises are often active in areas with high levels of deprivation, where the public and private sectors find it hard to deliver.

Following feedback from the Social Enterprise and Health Improvement conference last year, a number of areas to be taken forward were identified. These include the need to;

- Increase awareness of the positive impact social enterprises have on health
- Improve links between public health and social enterprises and promote multidisciplinary action
- Promote opportunities for social enterprises to deliver public health contracts (and other services directed at improving health and wellbeing in the public)

Health Improvement for all and reducing the health inequalities gap are critical components for a successful and sustainable Scotland. This is beginning to happen across the health and local authority services but social enterprises are also keen to help.  This conference will build on the growing interest and ability from local social enterprises ability to work alongside the statutory sector to deliver this.

The conference aims to reflect on the growing role for social enterprises in the health and care sector. With an emphasis on the trading opportunities, the event will feature contributions from social enterprises, health professionals and policy makers, from Scotland and the rest of the UK. Examples of social enterprises who have successfully secured contracts with the NHS will provide insight into the process with a number of case studies.

The conference is supported by Communities Scotland

Conference Themes

Physical health   Mental Health
Wellbeing   Transport
Food/Catering   Recycling
Furniture    Maintenance, landscaping

Conference goals

- Improving health and wellbeing
- Improving networking opportunities
- Identifying market opportunities
- Exploring the tender process (commissioning and bidding)
- Linking promising practice and added value
- Enhancing inter-agency coordination
- Informing elected officials of the opportunities

This conference will help to speed up the dialogue between all the interested parties and lead to innovation and developments best fitted to meet the needs of local communities

The conference is aimed at social enterprise practitioners, representatives from Community Health Partnerships, Housing Associations, Social Economy Partnerships & Local Economic Forums and the NHS.

Keynote Speakers:
- Scottish Executive, Minister (TBC)
- NESTA & Young Foundation
- NHS Social Enterprise Networks UK
- Kingdom Housing Association

Workshops:
- Bits & Bobs (Edinburgh)
- Twechar Healthy Living & Enterprise Centre (East Dunbartonshire)
- Roots n Shoots (Alloa)
- North Glasgow Community Food Initiative