together we are stronger – galvanising a cross-sector partnership to deliver the uk vision...
TRANSCRIPT
Together We Are Stronger – Galvanising a Cross-Sector
Partnership to Deliver the UK Vision Strategy
Jenny Pearce, Chief Executive
Vista
&
Chairman of the Vision Strategy Group for Leicester, Leicestershire
and Rutland
Aims: To share Vista’s experience of leading
local implementation of the UK Vision Strategy (UKVS) through multi-agency partnership
To comment on opportunities, pitfalls and barriers to partnership working
To summarise actions to date & issues identified
To reflect on key learning points
Introducing Vista: Local society - Improving lives for
people with sight loss Services across the sight loss
pathway Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
– 6,000 people on register
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Three local authorities (2 unitary and
one 3-tier council with 7 districts) Two Primary Care Trusts One Hospital Trust Vista spans all three local authorities
UK Vision Strategy
_
A fantastic opportunity for partnership working – but implementation through partnership is a daunting
prospect
… it is clear the future holds great opportunities. It also holds pitfalls. The trick will be to avoid the pitfalls, seize the opportunities, and get back home by six o'clock. ~ Woody Allen 1980
Opportunities: Coordinated inter-agency responses clear pathways better services = better reablement &
autonomy Better relationships across agencies prevention of avoidable sight loss Improved cost effectiveness
Pitfalls and barriers: Different languages and culture Different targets Shared decision making is difficult All plan and no action Visually impaired people not heard Limited resources & capacity Momentum lost
(must get home by 6 o’clock!)
UK Vision Strategy – what an opportunity for Vista!
Helping us to meet the needs of visually impaired people better
Leading the way locally Improving working relations across
agencies
But - Challenges for Vista: How to influence the decision makers? How to achieve buy-in & ownership? How to keep up the momentum? Points mean prizes – but resources are
limited! Capacity at strategic level very limited
What did we do? Presentation to decision making
Programme Board – commitment given Strategic event planned (not a launch) Local authority strategic leaders
encouraged to come to event ... Came as partners, not guests – fully funded the event
Strategic Event Invited strategic leads across all
sectors What’s in it for them? Excited them with the vision Gave them a task (spread the word) Fed them !! Set up steering group for conference
Operational Conference Multi-agency steering group led by Vista What’s in it for them? – clear outcomes Jointly funded Devolved work (not always successful!) Not just for health and social care Continued with footwork to raise profile Kept Programme Board up to date
Aim of Conference (not a launch)
To ensure that promotion of eye health, prevention of sight loss & supports to enable inclusion & independence for people with sight loss are embedded into the workplans of all relevant departments & organisations across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
The 3 priorities: Promoting eye health Preventing avoidable sight loss Supporting inclusion & independence
for people with sight loss
Simple, clear messages
Conference Programme High level speakers, but also … Visually impaired person /carer/ DVD Networking with visually impaired
people – what do they want & need? Displays Action planning central to the event A start, not an end – say what happens
next
Sir Winston Churchill - November 1942
“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
Vision Strategy Group Good initial buy-in – they were keen! (but
ongoing involvement needs ongoing encouragement)
Linked into LSPs and Personalisation Boards Setting strategic action plan – not another
strategy Vista still leading the process
Action Planning: Key strategic areas arising from UKVS
mapped against NIs & England Implementation Plan
WCC guidance ‘Improving Eye Health Services’
Mapped activity & identified gaps 3 interlinked plans – health, children,
adult social care
Progress Children’s plan virtually completed Partnership across 3 health trusts &
Local Optometric Committee implementing WCC guidance
Priorities identified for Adult Social Care (3 local authorities + Vista)
Target for all – end of 2009
Initial Actions: 10,000 leaflets distributed across early
years settings to encourage parents to take children for eye tests. Further leaflet programmes planned; seeking ways for optometrists to collect evidence of effectiveness
Initial Actions (cont’d) Initial plans for job fair for disabled
people, with major focus on people with sight loss
Grant awarded to take eye health awareness into rural areas
Dep’t of Health grant application for Vision Strategy Partnership Manager
Initial Actions (cont’d) Leicester City ‘STOP Smoking’
campaign focussed on smoke free eyes & risks to sight posed by smoking
Campaign to have an Ophthalmology clinic in Rutland is gaining support
Issues: Current data collection against NIs
does not identify visual impairment - evidence hard to identify
Strategic leadership needed across agencies to maintain progress – eg across 3 separate health trusts
Responsibility delegated down too low – risk of diverting VSG into operational activity before priorities agreed
Issues (cont’d) -
England Implementation Plan (EIP): EIP not linked with NIs EIP does not reflect local priorities EIP focussed on outputs, not outcomes No reporting mechanism to feed back
progress against EIP to England Implementation Group
Meanwhile, at Vista … Reference Group formed, to link in
with and respond to VSG Broadcasting good news messages
locally and nationally Strategic Review
Strategic Review Repositioning Vista with focus on wider
sight loss, prevention and awareness raising
Helping Vista to continue as leading provider to people with sight loss in the area
UKVS is a vehicle for delivering Vista’s strategy
Main learning points re local action: Partnership is vital Need a Champion Influence the decision makers What’s in it for them? Links to existing priorities & targets -
LSP/ LAA / NIs / WCC Embed Vision Strategy aims into
existing work plans
Main Learning Points (cont’d) Action plan, not another strategy Agree targets Responsibility and accountability -
shared plan for embedding, roll-out and monitoring
Keep the momentum going! Lots of hard work – but it’s worth it! … and it won’t be done by 6 o’clock!!
Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.
Peter Drucker
Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it. Plan more than you can do, then do it.
anon
Good luck!