The Specialised Healthcare Alliance (SHCA)*

JMC Partners provides the secretariat for the SHCA.

The focus of healthcare policy in recent years has been on the importance of local accountability and delivery. This drive to local arrangements leaves specialised services vulnerable, due to their cost and complexity. Seeing an opportunity in the wake of the 2005 General Election, JMC Partners advised the Specialised Healthcare Alliance (SHCA) to mount a campaign seeking major change.

"The Cystic Fibrosis Trust finds the Specialised Healthcare Alliance a dynamic and effective organisation. We believe that the campaigning efforts of the Alliance contributed significantly to Lord Warner's review which in turn has led to robust, transparent and workable structures."       Rosie Barnes, Chief Executive, Cystic Fibrosis Trust

The SHCA's primary objectives were:

1. clear accountability for specialised services vested in ten Specialised Commissioning Groups;
2. budgets for these Groups to cover the cost of the services which they commission;
3. the development of stronger, more uniform definitions of specialised services;
4. the ability to designate providers to ensure appropriate levels of quality and safety in a more competitive environment.

JMC Partners co-ordinated intensive public affairs activity including:

• A debate in the Lords engaging the responsible Minister, Lord Warner;
• A meeting between the SHCA chair, Baroness Hayman and Lord Warner shortly thereafter;
• An EDM promoting the need for change attracting more than 150 signatories;
• An Alliance reception which helped precipitate Lord Warner 's announcement of a review;
• SHCA representation on the review group;
• An SHCA article in the Health Service Journal;
• Ongoing close liaison with DH officials and key policy influencers.

This review reported in April 2006 and met all the Alliance 's key objectives.

In particular, the report recommended that responsibility and budgets for specialised services should rest with a single tier of regional groups. These recommendations have now been adopted in the NHS Commissioning and Operational Frameworks for implementation from April 2007.

*The SHCA is a broad coalition of 42 patient groups supported by eight corporate members.

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