Building a New Relationship between Voluntary Organisations and the State in the Health and Social Care Sectors

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The Dialogue Forum with Voluntary Organisations was established by the Minister of Health in 2019 with the aim of building a stronger working relationship between the State and the voluntary healthcare sector for the benefit of patients and service users and to facilitate regular dialogue with the voluntary sector on future policy and strategic developments.  In June 2020, the Dialogue Forum commissioned the NESC Secretariat to explore the healthcare system’s response to Covid-19 crisis. Drawing on a series of qualitative interviews with senior policy makers and practitioners this study highlights how the healthcare system responded to the challenge of protecting citizens, in particular the most vulnerable, in a flexible, innovative and collaborative manner.  The paper outlines many examples of organisational change and innovation in the way services were delivered and argues that they represent an unprecedented level of collaboration and cooperation between the state and voluntary organisations.   The paper highlights that in the midst of a national emergency public and voluntary organisations forged an experimental and dynamic partnership, based on intensive engagement, open information exchange, and collective problem solving and deliberation linked to tangible action.