Voluntary health and social care projects to receive funding

The Department of Health has opened applications for its Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund , which aims to support the voluntary sector in developing innovation across the health sector. The announcement is in line with the government's 'big society' agenda, which aims to push for more services to be delivered locally. It also follows health secretary Andrew Lansley's announcement last week that up to £1bn of NHS services would be opened to competition from voluntary organisations and the private sector. The previous round of funding for health and social care totalled just under £3.5m, but a spokeswoman for the DH told Guardian Healthcare that it was unable to disclose how much funding would be available for the forthcoming round. "We'll know more about this in the autumn," she added. The fund is part of the overall Voluntary Sector Investment programme, which was set up to improve links between the government and third sector health and social care organisations across England. Care services minister Paul Burstow, said: "The voluntary sector plays a valuable role in improving health in our local communities and providing frontline services. The government recognises the contribution the voluntary sector makes to driving innovation and quality. "The Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund has already supported many projects around the country – from end of life care to better services for cancer patients. Above all, this funding recognises the increased importance of the sector in helping us build strong and resilient communities." This article is published by Guardian Professional. Join the Guardian Healthcare Network to receive regular emails on NHS innovation.