Strengthening community partnership: VCSE strategic leads join NHS Trusts across South East London
South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB), working in partnership with the South East London VCSE Strategic Alliance, has launched a pioneering programme that embeds senior leaders from voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations directly within local NHS Trusts — including South London and Maudsley.
This is the first initiative of its kind in England and marks a significant step forward in how the NHS collaborates with communities and the VCSE sector.
What the programme involves
The new VCSE Strategic Leads programme places experienced VCSE leaders into senior strategic and decision‑making spaces across SLaM, Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital, and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trusts. Each Strategic Lead is employed by a local VCSE organisation but works closely with Trust leadership teams. Their role is to:
- Bring community insight directly into strategic planning
- Strengthen equitable partnerships between the NHS and the VCSE sector
- Ensure the voices of smaller and ‘By and For’ organisations are represented
- Support more inclusive, community‑led service design and transformation
Why this matters for South London and Maudsley
For SLaM, this programme provides an opportunity to deepen our collaboration with community partners and strengthen our understanding of the diverse populations we serve. By having VCSE leaders embedded within Trust planning and transformation work, we can ensure community perspectives shape priorities from the very beginning — not just through consultation. This approach supports our commitment to working in genuine partnership, improving equity, and designing services that better reflect people’s lived experiences.
Looking ahead
The programme aims to build long‑term, sustainable collaboration between NHS Trusts and the VCSE sector across South East London. Learning from this work will also help shape future models nationally, supporting more integrated, community‑driven approaches to health and care.
For more information see the SEL Strategic Alliance website.
