Informed conversations with black and minority ethnic-led voluntary and community organisations on the health and social care changes

The Race Equality Foundation undertook a series of regional Informed Conversations between October 2010 and January 2011, attended by local VCS organisations, service users and service providers.  The informed conversations introduced and explained key health care changes, and sought to increase sector involvement in health care provision and gain a better understanding of need and existing VCS involvement in the different regions.  The discussions varied in different locations according to local health issues, and participants’ experiences of and levels of engagement with health services.  This report aims to cover some of the key regional variations whilst also drawing out more general points of concern and consensus across the seminars.   It provides an overview of the issues that came out of the conversations and details next steps and action points that are being undertaken as follow-up to this work by the Foundation.