HEALTH CO-OPERATIVES:An international perspective...

... lessons for UK healthcare?

A one day conference

Thursday 10th February 2005 One Great George Street [off Parliament Square]

WestminsterLondon SW1P 3AAUnited Kingdom

Co-operatives exist in allwalks of life worldwide.

In the United Kingdom theyare best known in theretailing sector - withthousands of CO-OP shopsrun by co-operative societiesup and down the land. Thelargest of these societies -the Co-operative Group,which is Europe's biggestconsumer co-operative - alsoruns the largest chain of co-operatively ownedpharmacies in the world.

Around the globe co-operatives are active ineverything from agricultureto tourism, running banks

and credit unions, to housingand healthcare.

"Co-operatives in theirvarious forms are becomingan indispensable factor inthe economic and socialdevelopment of allcountries."United Nations resolution49/155, 1994

In Brazil a co-operative runby about a third of thecountry’s doctors provideshealthcare to more than 10million people. Japan hasover two million householdsobtaining healthcare fromhealth co-operatives.

Members get together insmall groups in pursuit ofhealth-related activities,including both positivehealth and treatment. In theUnited States of America,Group Health Cooperativein Seattle was set up in 1947to deliver a consumer-controlled healthcare system.It now provides coverage andcare for over half a millionpeople in Washington Stateand Idaho.

The United Nationspublished a survey in 1997on co-operative health andsocial care. At that timethese were known to exist in43 countries.

Said to be the fastestgrowing part of the co-operative movementworldwide, the co-operativehealthcare sector cares foraround 100 million families.

Health co-operatives aroundthe world are pivotal tofamily healthcare and part ofthe healthcare provision ofthe local ‘state’ - they willcontinue to be successful!

"Co-operatives in theirvarious forms are

becoming anindispensable factor inthe economic and social

development of allcountries”

United Nationsresolution 49/155, 1994

Fundación Espriu,Spain

“Mutual models can provide an attractive alternativeto both State and private provision of local services -devolving ownership and control of services of thepeople who care most about them.”

Ruth Kelly MP, then Minister at the Cabinet Office

Madrid, Spain Homerton Foundation Hospital, UK Dulwich Hospital, UK

This conference - the firstof its kind to be held in theUK - will bring togetherpractitioners in the healthco-operative sector fromother countries, side by sidewith speakers from the UK'shealthcare system.

The event is being led bySELDOC (South EastLondon Doctors Co-operative) and held inassociation with theEuropean region of theInternational Health Co-operative Organisation(IHCO) – a non-governmental organisationthat brings health and co-operation togetherglobally – supported fully byMutuo and Co-operativesUK.There will be overseasspeakers from Belgium,Canada, Russia, Spain andSweden who run co-operative and mutualhospitals and medicalcentres.

In the UK there are generalpractice (GP) co-operatives,and other co-operativesproviding social care. Also, aspart of a process of public

service reform, the BritishGovernment has begundevolving power to frontlinestaff and local communitiesin England, in the form ofNational Health Service(NHS) Foundation Trusts,the first 20 of which are nowup and running. More are tocome. (The very name"foundation" is used in partof the health co-operativesystem of Spain, asconference participants willhear for themselves.)

"NHS Foundation Trustsare a new type oforganisation ... to provideNHS services for NHSpatients. NHS FoundationTrusts offer a new form ofsocial ownership modelledon co-operative and mutualtraditions."UK Department of Health(DH) Factsheet, DHwebsite

The conference will give anopportunity to hear thepractical experience of peopleinvolved in delivering co-operative healthcare. Itwill also highlight earlydevelopments from the NHS

foundation trust sector, plusnew steps in co-operativeand mutual approaches inNHS primary, social. Therewill also be a speaker fromthe Benenden HealthcareSociety, a friendly societywith about a millionmembers and its ownhospital. The Society hasoperated since 1905 - havingnot been nationalised alongwith most other healthcareproviders when the NHS

was created in 1948.

The emphasis in this firstevent is to focus mainly onEurope, but there will bematerial on the worldwidescene, and a preview of someexciting developments inprimary healthcare inCanada.

"NHS FoundationTrust are a new type oforganisation ... toprovide NHS servicesfor NHS patients.NHS FoundationTrusts offer a new formof social ownershipmodelled on co-operative and mutualtraditions."UK Department ofHealth (DH)Factsheet, DH website

Co-operative healthcare - Canada

SELDOC - South East London Doctors Co-operative

Conference programme08:30 Registration and refreshments

SESSION TO BE JOINTLY CHAIRED BY DR ALAN ROGERS - CHAIRMAN & DR MICHAEL BROOKS - MEDICAL DIRECTOR (SELDOC - SOUTH EAST LONDON

DOCTORS CO-OPERATVE):

09:45 Opening remark from the joint chairs.

THE POLICY CONTEXT:

10:00 Health sector welcome : Minister/senior civil servant from the Department of Health (DH) - UK invited

10:10 Dame Pauline Green (International Co-operative Alliance European Region,and Co-operativesUK) - co-operatives in Europe and the world (UK)

10:25 Peter Hunt (Mutuo): healthcare mutual policy developments (UK)

10:50 Geraint Day (IHCO) : development of National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trustsand link to international health co-operatives (UK)

11:00 REFRESHMENTS BREAK

SESSION TO BE CHAIRED BY DR JOSÉ CARLOS GUISADO DEL TORO - CHAIRMAN OF IHCO:

THE INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE (1):

11:30 Dr José Carlos Guisado del Toro (IHCO): the work of the IHCO (Spain)

11:50 Per-Olof Jönsson (Medicoop): Swedish health co-operatives (Sweden)

12:10 Valery Shipunov (Medical Centre of Central Soyuz, Russian Federation): Russia

12:30 Jean-Pierre Girard (Conseil Canadien de la Coopération):Canadian health co-operative experience (Canada)

12:50 Questions and discussion

13.00 LUNCH BREAK

SESSION TO BE CHAIRED BY DAME PAULINE GREEN (CO-OPERATIVESUK):

THE INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE (2):

Dr José Carlos Guisado del Toro (Fundación Espriu, Barcelona, and IHCO): 14:00Spanish health co-operatives (Spain)

Marc-Henri Cornély and William Janssens (Office des Pharmacies coopératives de Belgique: 14:30Belgian co-operative pharmacies) - Belgium

Questions & discussion 14:50

REFRESHMENTS BREAK 15:15

SESSION TO BE CHAIRED BY BARONESS THORNTON (SOCIAL ENTERPRISE COALITION):

UK DEVELOPMENTS AND PRACTICE:

Cliff Mills (Cobbetts Solicitors) - overview of legal structures of co-operatives (UK) 15:40

Mo Girach (South East London Doctors Co-operative): general medical practice 15:55(GP) co-operatives (UK)

Pauline Brown (Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust): 16:10a foundation trust in action (UK)

Paul Tinnion (Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust board of governors): user experience 16:25

Colin Christopher Bennett - Chief Executive, Benenden Healthcare Society: 16:35a healthcare mutual (UK)

SUMMING UP AND WHERE NEXT:

DH official: Overview of NHS healthcare developments (UK) - invited 16:50

CLOSE 17:00

This event is brought toyou by

The International Health Co-operative Organisation (IHCO) is aspecialist organisation of theInternational Co-operative Alliance(ICA).

The IHCO's objectives:

• To provide a forum for thediscussion and exchange of issuesof relevance to its memberorganisations;

• To provide information to UnitedNations organisations, nationalgovernments, the media and thepublic about the nature and roleof health co-operatives;

• To promote the development ofhealth co-operatives;

• To collaborate with otherspecialised bodies of the ICA.

Membership is open toorganisations that are affiliatedeither directly or indirectly to theICA and have as their mainobjective the provision of health careto their members or the provision ofself-employment for healthprofessionals (doctors, nurses, etc.)or the integration of consumers' andproducers' co-operatives.

IHCO was founded in November1996, by UNIMED of Brazil (a co-operative of doctors), the JapaneseConsumers' Co-operative Union (auser co-operative) and the EspriuFoundation in Spain (an integrateduser and provider health co-operative).

The IHCO currently has membersin Belgium, Brazil. Canada, Chile,Estonia, Japan, Malaysia, Paraguay,Russia, the Slovak Republic, Swedenand the United Kingdom.

Co-operativesUK is the nationalmember-owned and led organisationthat promotes the interests of co-operative enterprise, works toincrease awareness andunderstanding of co-operative valuesand principles, and supports thedevelopment and growth of new andexisting co-operatives. It is a focalpoint for the sector, a forum forinnovation and best practice, and astrategic voice for the co-operativemovement.

Co-operative enterprise has provenitself over more than one hundredand fifty years as a sustainable andeffective means of meetingcommunity needs, whilstsimultaneously providing aparticipative and democraticallyaccountable approuch.

Co-operativesUK, through our‘Provide’ project is currently workingwith local authorities and serviceproviders across the country to

develop effective co-operativesolutions to public service delivery.

Co-operativesUK

Holyoake HouseHanover StreetManchester M60 0ASUnited Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)161 246 2900

email: info@cooperatives-uk.coopwww.cooperatives-uk.coop/provide

SELDOC is the GP Out of HoursCo-operative for Lambeth,Southwark and Lewisham formed in April 1996.

The distinctive feature of theSELDOC Co-operative is that it isowned, managed and resourced by a475 GP members co-operative, wholooks after around one millionpatients.

SELDOC is a very successfulhealthcare co-operative and excellentexample of a true co-operative. Its

GP members can be justifiablyproud of their achievements anddeliverables. With NHS Direct,Technical Links, Walk-in Centres,Primary Care Trusts and the optionfor GPs to opt-in / opt-out of thenew GP Contract, come a numberof challenges and opportunities forSELDOC and its GP members.

SELDOC, represents a powerfulplatform that providesgeneric/primary healthcare services.SELDOC under the umberella ofsocial enterprise has diversified into

a number of subsidiary businesses,such as Primary Care LocumServices (GP, Nurses, SocialWorkers, Etc), Travel Clinic, BulkPurchasing (eg. flu vaccines, gloves),GPs in local A&E.

SELDOC LimitedDulwich HospitalEast Dulwich GroveLondon SE22 8PT

Tel: +44 (0) 20 8299 2619Fax: +44 (0) 20 8693 5512www.seldoc.co.uk

Mutuo is a think tank dedicated tothe promotion of mutual solutionsto economic and social needs.

Mutuo operates as a publisher andresearcher for the mutual sector,giving a stronger voice to mutualbusinesses by communicating thevalue of mutuality to UKpolicymakers and opinion formers.

Mutuo is extending the boundariesof mutual enterprise by developingnew mutual ownership structuresthat can be applied to a wide rangeof public services and privatebusinesses including housing,health, pre-school childcare, andsport.

Peter Hunt – DirectorMutuo77 Weston StreetLondon SE1 3SDUnited Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7367 4150

www.mutuo.co.uk

To register interestcontact SELDOC on:Tel: +44 (0) 20 8299 2619Fax: +44 (0)20 8693 5512suen@seldoc.nhs.ukwww.seldoc.co.ukReg. No. 03156031

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

All those from NHSFoundation Hospitals,prospective FoundationHospital applicants,GP co-operatives,Primary Care Trust:,voluntary sector bodiesinvolved in the deliveryof healthcare via co-operative modelsincluding:- Chief Executives- Corporate Directors- Heads of Foundation

Hospitals- Senior Managers- Chairs / Non

Executive Directors- GP Co-operative

Chief Executive /General Managers

- Medical Directors- Policy Advisors

Please return yourcompleted bookingform to:Co-operativesUK

LimitedHolyoake HouseHanover StreetManchester M60 0ASUnited Kindom

Tel: +44 (0)161 246 2908Fax: +44 (0)161 831 7684rita.butler@cooperatives-uk.coop

Health co-operative - an internationalperspective... lessons for UK healthcare?To ensure a place at this conferenceplease complete this booking formand return it to Co-operativesUK atthe address below. If you have

queries please do not hesitate tocontact our conference manager RitaButler on +44 (0)161 246 2908. Ifyou wish to book multiple places for

the event simply phootocopy thisform, download a PDF of the formwww.seldoc.co.uk, or call us foradditional copies.

FeesThe fee for the conference is £250+VAT (= £293.17) per person, toinclude refreshments and a buffetlunch. (£200 + VAT (=£235.00) forvoluntary sector and CoopUK members)Please contact SELDOC for group discounts.

oI enclose a cheque. made payable toSELDOC Limited:

oPlease invoice me at the aboveaddress:

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Please reserve a place for me at the health co-operatives event on 10th February 2005

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• By completing and returning thisbooking form you accept thefollowing conditions of booking aplace at this event:

• No cancellations can be acceptedonce a place is booked at theevent, however we are happy toaccept substitutes for booked

places if you find you are unableto attend. Please let us know inwriting as soon as possible.

• We reserve the right to cancel theevent at any point, and can beheld liable for any costs incurredby delegates.

• The event programme may besubject to change.

Conditions of Booking

For accommodation, please contact SELDOC +44 (0)20 8299 2619

Accommodation

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