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Dear Member,

This time of year can be tricky - as the financial year draws to a close, funding becomes increasingly uncertain for many in the third sector. There is the all too familiar flurry of spending pots of money that need to be empty by April 1st, and the last minute extensions (or not) of contracted/commissioned work. As the first shoots of spring poke through, many working in the voluntary sector face the prospect of redundancy or end of project departure.

It can feel like a rollercoaster, all the while paddling furiously to make sure the people and communities we work with aren't left high and dry.

Our colleagues in the health sector also face an uncertain time, with redundancies across the Integrated Care Board, and an as yet to be defined new neighbourhood health model.

Beyond the immediate buffeting there are some shoots of hope. The Connect to Work programme includes longer-term funding pots for government funded projects and their VCFSE delivery partners - it would be brilliant if this became the norm. The National Lottery 'Community-driven philanthropy' approach will be trialled in Cumberland over the next 5 years, signalling an important shift in priority for funding.

Both the  uncertainties and the glimmers of hope make it more important than ever to be connected with colleagues across the VCFSE sector but also across sectors and systems. To find solace through the struggles, and forge partnerships for the future.

Hopefully our bulletin is a part of this - look after yourselves and each other, and reach out if the health partnerships team can help you navigate the coming months.

To contact the Health Partnership Team just email below:

Clare Edwards Health Partnerships Manager
claree@cumbriacvs.org.uk
Holly Ferguson Health Partnerships Administration Officer
hollyf@cumbriacvs.org.uk
Sarah Penn Health Partnerships Support Officer
sarah.penn@cumbriacvs.org.uk

Keep up to date with our network events Padlet, which contains all of the information/presentations from each of our speakers at our recent Action for Health and Mental Health Provider Forum meetings. 

We understand that minimising the impact of poverty on healthcare provision is key to breaking the link between an individual’s income and their opportunity to live a long, healthy life. Our Poverty Proofing© team experts can support healthcare teams to listen to the experiences of their patients, staff and stakeholders on how poverty impacts them. We can then provide tailored guidance, built on evidence and tested methods, on what actions can support improvement in areas such as access, participation, experience and long-term engagement.

What will you gain from the training

Staff will gain understanding and awareness about:

-How poverty is defined
-Poverty statistics in a national and local context
-The causes and consequences of poverty
-The unconscious bias and stigma surrounding poverty
-The link between poverty and health outcomes
-How organisational practices can create barriers to accessing healthcare
-Why a whole system approach is needed when addressing health inequalities
-How the lived experience of individuals can be used to inform change

The two session dates are below

10th March 2026 9.30am-12.30pm

26th March 2026 12pm-3pm

To book your place, click the preferred date above

Last week 14.02.2026 a news report indicated that:

New referrals for autism and ADHD diagnoses for some children and young people have been paused over ‘unprecedented high levels of demand’.

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) confirmed the measures had been in place in parts of the region since 02.02.2026.

Recent NEWS from SENDAC and Lancashire Parent Carer Forum now available indicates:

UPDATE: ASD & ADHD ASSESSMENTS – THE PAUSE HAS BEEN ‘UNPAUSED 

As of today, there will no longer be any immediate changes to the autism and ADHD diagnosis pathways.  

After our (SENDAC & Lancashire Parent Carer Forum) meeting with the ICB today, we can now share a clear and factual update. 

What is happening right now 

The previous pause to the ADHD and autism pathways has been reversed. 

This means: 

• All Autism and ADHD Referrals are being accepted again 
• Assessments are continuing as they were before the original announcement 
• There is now no immediate change for children and young people. 

This will remain in place until the end of February. 

 This position has been reached because the issue was escalated to the highest level across NHS leadership, including meetings between ourselves, other Parent Carer Forums and the ICB, and our public posts have generated a lot of media and political attention.  

What happens by the end of February:  

 During this time, the ICB is working on putting a new plan in place for the ADHD and autism assessment process. The current model is not fit for purpose. They are looking at funding options, and which providers (organisations) can carry out the assessments, including continuing with LSCFT.  

By the end of February, there are two possible outcomes: 

1. Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust will continue to deliver assessments as normal under a new agreement with the ICB. 

 Or 

1. There will be another provider(s) carrying out the assessments instead, with children moving under their service from LSCFT. This will be commissioned and fully funded by the NHS.  

We have been assured that: 

• This will be a seamless transition, no matter which route happens  
• Families will not be asked to do anything 
• Children’s place in the process will not be affected 
• In practice, this means your child will continue their pathway ‘journey’ and assessment with another organisation. 

Our next steps 

 We have formally requested a meeting with the Chief Executive of Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and the Director of Nursing in the ICB to take place before the end of February so we can be part of those next step discussions.  

 This is to ensure families’ experiences and concerns are heard and communication to families is clear and appropriate going forward. 

SENDAC & Lancashire Parent Carer Forum will provide further updates following that meeting. 

About the Trust’s latest public statement 

 We are aware that an updated statement has been published on the Trust website detailing the ‘reversal of the pause’. 

Follow the link below to find the statement:

https://www.lscft.nhs.uk/news/statement-regarding-referrals-autism-spectrum-disorder-asd-and-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd

SENDAC etc received this information by letter this morning and, as with the previous communication, we are extremely disappointed with how this has been worded to families. We know this will have caused further confusion at an already very stressful time. We have raised this to the most senior people within the NHS."

Every Life Matters have recently received funding from Workington town council to deliver some free suicide prevention training across the town, specifically targeting parents and sports groups clubs, this builds nicely on the incredible work already taking place with the Cumbria United project.

Workington Town have kindly offered to host two training sessions at the town ground, both taking place on the 25^th Feb (details attached below)

The sessions are an hour long, and a simply introduction for those unfamiliar with the subject of suicide and for parents who want practical advice on how to have conversations about MH/self-harm/Suicide.

Supporting Young Peoples Mental Health - Workington - 25th February Tickets, Wed 25 Feb 2026 at 17:00 | Eventbrite

Suicide Alertness Bitesize - Workington - 25th February Tickets, Wed 25 Feb 2026 at 18:30 | Eventbrite”

CumbriaMed Research Webinar on Exploring Population Health - Thurs 26 February 2026, 12:30-13:30

The PCSM Research Hub invites you to join us for the next edition of the CumbriaMed Research Webinar Series, which showcases leading health researchers working in and with Cumbria. Each session features two expert speakers and a live Q&A. The series is open to staff, students, patients, relatives, and the public; all are welcome.

Topic: Exploring Population Health
Date: Thursday 26 February 2026
Time: 12:30–13:30
Location: Zoom (registration required)

Register: tinyurl.com/pcsm-webi7

Speakers:

• Prof Rory Collins - Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Oxford, and Principal Investigator of UK Biobank

 “UK Biobank: Scale, Depth, Duration… but Most Importantly, Accessibility”

Rory is a clinical researcher who studies why people develop common diseases and how they can be prevented and treated. He leads UK Biobank, a large UK health study that brings together lifestyle, genetic, and medical information to help improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

• Dr Christopher Chiswell - Public Health Consultant, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

“Public Health in Cumbria”

Christopher works with local authorities, health services, and community partners to improve population health and reduce health inequalities. His work applies evidence in real-world settings, showing how public health teams and community projects translate insight into practical action across Cumbria.

Please see the attached flyer for full details, or contact us at: pcsmresearchhub@cumbria.ac.uk

Hosted by: PCSM Research Hub

Funded by: NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)

The North East and North Cumbria (NENC) Integrated Care Board (ICB) met for its latest board meeting on Tuesday 27th January, attended by Lisa Taylor as VCSE representative.

The agenda included committee and Chief Executive reports, finance and integrated delivery reports, plus a presentation from County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust about their Breast Services, and the ICB’s Medium Term Plan - which is due for submission to NHS England this month.

Lisa has provided a written summary of the meeting, which you can read here. 

The meeting recording and papers can be viewed on the ICB website here.

Help shape the future of outcomes for health commissioning - join the conversation

Thursday 12th March, 9am – 12pm (online via Zoom)

Following a series of in-person workshops which took place across the region in the autumn, we are hosting this online workshop for the Assura project which is exploring how we can co-design a shared, proportionate outcomes and impact framework that better reflects the value of VCSE organisations within health commissioning. Your ideas and insights from this session will be added to the outcomes generated by colleagues at the in-person workshops to help develop the recommendations.

What to expect at the online workshop

• Explore what data VCSE organisations already collect and how it can be used
• Share learning about what works well and the challenges we face
• Discuss how we can evidence the impact of the VCSE sector on health and inequalities
• Consider how the framework can support all types of organisations, from the smallest grassroots groups to larger providers

This workshop is specifically for VCSE sector colleagues representing organisations of all sizes and specialisms across the North East and North Cumbria that:

• Currently deliver, have delivered, or plan to deliver health and wellbeing services through NHS/ICB grants or contracts
• Have applied unsuccessfully for the above, but still want to be part of future health system partnerships.

A one-off payment of £100 is offered per organisation for attendance, in recognition of your time.

Register here.

Please note – for those of you who attended the North Cumbria specific in-person event on 07.10.2025 this is a repeat of this session

Implementation of Physical Health Services for People Living with SMI - 24 March 12pm to 4pm

The event will bring together researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders to explore innovative approaches to implementing physical health services for individuals with severe mental illness.    

You can find full details and register via Eventbrite here:  https://ImplementationofphysicalhealthservicesforSMI.eventbrite.co.uk

The Power of People: a celebration of social prescribing across the North East and North Cumbria Thursday 26^th March, 10am-12pm, online

This year's Social Prescribing Day is on 26th March - an annual celebration recognising Social Prescribing Link Workers, local community groups and regional and national organisations which support people’s health and wellbeing.

To mark the day in the North East and North Cumbria, VONNE are hosting a free online conference, 10am – 12pm, commending ‘The Power of People’.

We hope you can join us at the event as we celebrate the fantastic work of social prescribing in all its forms across our region.

Our speakers will showcase the power of people to connect, build trust and make a meaningful difference through their social prescribing work. They include:

• Anna Basu, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Paediatric Neurologist, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University
• Simon Bromhead, Head of Development at Ways to Wellness
• Sarah Penn, Health Partnerships Support Officer at Cumbria CVS

You'll also hear from the currently funded Healthy Communities and Social Prescribing projects and see the difference they’re making across the region.

The Award in Health and Care Level 1 course , starting on Tuesday 24th February, is a great qualification for anyone who is working or wants to work in any kind of job involving supporting people.

The course will also be useful for people in volunteering roles which involve an element of support. It is run by our tutor Andrea Brook who has long experience teaching this topic.

Andrea is also teaching the Award in The Importance of Resilience and Grit course starting on Tuesday 24th February. This is a 6-week course which hlps people to gain confidence and inner strength so that they can better tackle challenges in life and work. This is also a good stepping stone to our Level 1 Award in Mental Health and Wellbeing course, which is starting after Easter.

Finally, we have a one-off taster session, Being Safe Online on Tuesday 10th February, which is useful for anyone who wants to avoid Cybercrime and the fear of being scammed. If you would like us to provide this session for your group or team, please get in touch to discuss this further.

Updated timetables for the upcoming Recovery College block. This term, we’re placing a special focus on neurodiversity, and we’ve included some dedicated sessions aimed at providing practical support, understanding, and strategies for those who are neurodivergent or supporting someone who is.

You’ll find all session dates, times, and locations outlined in the attached timetables below. Please feel free to share this with anyone who may benefit or be interested in joining us.

Migration to digital phone services is already well underway, as the PSTN is now outdated, energy inefficient, costly to maintain, and no longer suitable for modern communications needs.
The move to digital networks will ensure landline services remain reliable, modern, and fit for the future.
It is important to stay engaged with your service provider during this transition. Digital phone services are not self powered, so you may need a battery back up to keep essential devices running during a power cut, and some legacy equipment may not be compatible with the new system.
If you use assistive technology such as fall alarms, telecare systems, or other safety critical devices then please contact your provider as soon as possible to understand how the switch off might affect you and what support is available.

FREE Smillie Stroll Thursday 26th February | Facebook at 10.30am and we look forward to welcoming you then!

As always the walks are all promoted on Active Cumbria Eventbrite and Travel Actively Carlisle | Facebook so please feel free to share these far and wide.

Documents and information relating to the Eden Health and Wellbeing network meeting, highlighting the services available to support peoples health and wellbeing. 

The latest Services provided by Carlisle Eden Mind. 

Mind Line Cumbria - If you feel that things are getting to you, get in touch. Sometimes talking things through or hearing a supportive voice can give you the extra strength to find a way forward.

0300 561 0000 - 12:00pm-11:00pm Every night of the year. 

The Lighthouse - The Lighthouse is a calm, safe and comfortable place for people in Carlisle and Eden to visit when they are experiencing a mental health crisis, feeling unsafe or finding it hard to cope. 

0300 561 0000 - 5:00pm-11:00pm Every night of the year.

Are you struggling with mental health? 

If you’re feeling depressed, anxious or finding everyday life difficult, we can help with free, effective support in our kitchen garden at Tebay Services on the M6 near Penrith.
Speak to your GP, health professional or self refer via our website. You could be joining us within 2 weeks, rebuilding your confidence, learning new skills and meeting new life goals.
FREE minibus transport service - FREE lunch provided

On 27 February, we will launch the UK Headline National Well being Measures, providing timely insight into how people, communities, and the nation are doing, and helping assess progress beyond traditional economic indicators.

To mark the launch, join us on 2 March for a public webinar introducing the new headline measures of national well being.
These measures will sit alongside the UK Measures of National Wellbeing dashboard, which will be published annually from May 2026. They build on the aims of the original UK Measuring National Well being programme-to understand well being at individual, community, and national levels-and are informed by recommendations from the UN High Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP.

During the webinar, we will outline what the headline measures are, why they matter and how they improve our understanding of progress in the UK. We will explain their purpose and importance, share the latest findings and insights, and discuss how they fit within the wider statistical landscape.
Register your attendance
If you have any queries on the above, please contact us by emailing economic.engagement@ons.gov.uk

The newsletter focuses on:

• Changes to Service User & Carer Reference Group
• Triangle of Care

Our latest post has key updates, including funding and project opportunities, representative roles and working groups you might want to get involved in and much more.

The latest vacancies in Cumbria, from across the sector. You'll also find vacancies with Cumbria CVS here too.

Cumbria CVS offers a free membership service for Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations throughout Cumbria. This membership gives you access to our free services, including:

Newsletters (get our monthly e-bulletin first)
Focus on Funding online - the latest funding opportunities
Governance Support
Add your organisation to our member's directory and searchable map
Advice
Policy Templates
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If you want to receive the latest news, events and updates on:

General sector info for your area
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+ more

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