Provider communication and engagement
Our goal is to create a collaborative, high-quality, and sustainable care market that meets the evolving needs of Tower Hamlets residents. We are committed to working closely with care providers to:
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Develop innovative, person-centred solutions
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Support a diverse and thriving care market
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Ensure high-quality services that meet community needs.
We recognise the essential role of providers, and we are committed to fostering strong partnerships to co-design, plan, and enhance services across the borough.
How we engage with providers
We facilitate a variety of forums and partnership boards to encourage collaboration and co-production. These platforms provide opportunities to:
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Share insights and expertise to help shape future services.
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Engage in strategic discussions on market trends, workforce development, and commissioning priorities.
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Access support, guidance, and networking opportunities to strengthen service quality and sustainability.
We encourage all providers to participate in shaping the future of adult social care in Tower Hamlets.
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Annual provider conference
Our annual provider conference brings together both commissioned and non-commissioned service providers, adult social care staff, and commissioners. This development day focuses on:
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Addressing local challenges
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Sharing the council’s vision and priorities
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Setting market expectations.
The event also features co-designed workshops and networking opportunities, allowing providers to collaborate and learn through key groups and forums.
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Carers Partnership Board
The Carers Partnership Board meets every two months online, bringing together:
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Key health and social care partners
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Unpaid carers with lived experience
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Representatives from local health and social care organisations.
The board provides strategic and operational oversight of the Our Commitment to Carers Action Plan, ensuring that the voices of unpaid carers help shape local services.
Learning Disability Partnership Board
The Learning Disability Partnership Board work hard together to make things better for people with learning disabilities who live in Tower Hamlets.
About the board
Our Local Learning Disability Partnership Board (LDPB) meets regularly and brings together professionals and people with lived experience to promote the welfare and experience of adults with a learning disability to help shape our strategy and services.
The board discusses the key issues and concerns that are of importance to adults with a learning disability in the borough, working together to make a real difference to people lives[CK1] [AA2] .
Mental Health Partnership Board
The Mental Health Partnership Board works to make things better for people with a mental health issue who live and work in Tower Hamlets. Service user priorities frame the board’s focus; ensuring that all work relating to the Mental Health Partnership Board is undertaken through the joint lens of reducing inequalities and promoting people participation.
What is the Mental Health Partnership Board accountable for?
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Delivering improved outcomes and experience for adults living in Tower Hamlets with mental health needs, including young adults, working age adults, and older adults (including people living with dementia).
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Overseeing compliance with national ‘must dos’ such as those things mandated by the NHS Long Term Plan, and Tower Hamlets Adult Mental Health Strategy.
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Discussing and recommending how money will be prioritised and invested.
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Understanding the performance of services and reviewing whether existing arrangements represent good value for money.
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Leading initiatives and workstreams to deliver local priorities e.g. addressing gaps, unmet needs and health inequalities between groups.
Key principles for how the Mental Health Partnership Board will operate
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Each meeting will explicitly feature feedback and insights from service users and carers in relation to the topic / theme of the meeting.
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The meeting will use data to help members understand performance and pressures on existing services, as well as to measure outcomes and improvements.
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The meeting will use population health insights and data (including insights gathered through community and service user engagement) to understand health inequalities and unmet needs / gaps.
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The meeting is based on the principles of collaboration and power sharing.
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The meeting will facilitate co-design, involving people with lived experience, Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations (VCSEs_ and other non-NHS partners in the design of service transformation programmes and commissioning intentions at a much earlier stage.
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Home care provider forums
We hold home care provider forums every six weeks for our commissioned providers. These forums are primarily online, with at least one in-person meeting annually. They serve as a space to share information, discuss best practices, and address issues collaboratively.
We take a place-based, locality-focused approach to home care, meaning providers primarily operate in specific areas. This model has led to strong working relationships and national recognition, including a nomination for a 2023 HSJ Award.
Non-commissioned providers
We maintain limited engagement with non-commissioned providers, primarily due to our place-based partnership approach, which focuses on working closely with a set number of providers in specific localities.
For non-commissioned providers operating in Tower Hamlets, we maintain an email list to share occasional updates, usually regarding:
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Bi-monthly meetings with providers, internal and external partners including statutory, community and voluntary services. The forum provides an opportunity to discuss issues, developments and share good practice.
Learning disability (LD) provider forum
The LD provider forum presents the opportunity for local providers and stakeholders to meet with the Commissioning Team to share good news stories and good practice between current providers and those seeking to enter the market. Meetings are held every four months, and all practitioners are welcome to attend by invitation.