2023-03-31-accounts - Voluntary Sector Mental Health Providers Forum

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VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Company number: 05536120 Charity number: 1120222

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Contents	Page
Trustees’ Report	1 – 18
Independent Examiner’s Report	19
Statement of Financial Activities	20
Statement of Financial Position	21
Statement of Cash Flows	22
Notes to the Financial Statements	23 – 32

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Status:	The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 15 August	The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 15 August	The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 15 August
	2005 and registered as a charity on 24 July 2007.
Company Number:	05536120
Charity Number:	1120222
Registered Office and	85 Great Portland Street, Great Portland Street, London, England, W1W 7LT
Operational Address:
Trustees	The Directors of the charitable company are its Trustees for the purposes of charity law.
	The Trustees who have served from 1 April 2022 up to the date of approval of these
	financial statements were as		follows:
	Dr Sridevi Kalidindi	-	Chair
	Sanjay Shah	-	Treasurer
	Aileen Edwards	-	CEO Second Step
	Derek Caren	-	CEO Richmond Fellowship (resigned June 2023)
	Mark Winstanley-	-	CEO Rethink Mental Illness
	Kimmis
	Rachel Peacock	-	CEO Making Space
	Julie Layton	-	CEO Advance UK
	Sarah Hughes	-	CEO Centre for Mental Health (resigned May 2022)
	Steve Gilbert	-	Independent Consultant
	Steve Appleton	-	CEO Contact Consulting
	Linda Bryant	-	CEO Together for Mental Wellbeing
	Margaret Hanson	-	CEO Imagine Independence (resigned May 2023)
	Sarah Maguire	-	CEO Choice Support
	Ashwin Mathews	-	CEO Centre for Better Health
Chief Executive Officer	Kathy Roberts
and Company
Secretary:
Bankers:	CAF Bank Ltd
	25 Kings Hill Avenue
	Kings Hill
	West Malling
	Kent
	ME19 4QT
Independent	Michael Tourville FCA
Examiner:	Beever and Struthers
	150 Minories
	London
	EC3N 1LS

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

The Trustees present their report and the examined financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS 102) published in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011 and the Companies Act 2006 in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity.

Structure, governance & management

The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 15 August 2005 and registered as a charity on 24 July 2007.

The company was established under a memorandum of association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its articles of association.

Aims and public benefit

Voluntary Sector Mental Health Providers Forum trading as the Association of Mental Health Providers (The Association), formerly Mental Health Providers Forum, is a representative organisation for providers of mental health and wellbeing services. The Association want service users to have access to joined up, seamless services from the organisations that support them, and are committed to working in equal partnership with statutory agencies involved in providing health and social care support for people with mental health needs.

We facilitate this through supporting and promoting effective service delivery, information exchange and the sharing of best practice across the voluntary, statutory and private sectors.

Our charitable objects:

To relieve the needs of people with mental health conditions in England and Wales by:

Improving the range, quality and volume of services for people with mental health needs
• Contributing to policy development with a view to improving services • Sharing information and experience with a view to improving services.

Our values

A society where everyone with mental health concerns has the right to get the support they need from a wide range of providers, implementing demonstrable values which include:

Respecting service user perspectives, empowerment and choices
Believing in and supporting recovery and social inclusion
Commitment to collaboration, sharing and partnership
Commitment to service excellence, innovation, evidence-based practice and continuous improvement
• Developing and promoting the unique value-based contribution of the voluntary mental health sector.

Statement of Public Benefit

The Directors confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission in determining the activities undertaken by the charity. How the charity delivers public benefit is explained under section 3 “Current Activities and Work Programmes” below.

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1 Strategic overview

Association of Mental Health Providers is the only leading representative body for voluntary sector providers of mental health and wellbeing services with members drawn from national, regional and locally based organisations operating across England and Wales. As the only representative body for mental health VCSE providers, The Association is ideally placed to work across all types of service provision. Our members provide services covering the full range of provision from crisis care, liaison and diversion services, substance misuse services, complex needs, to advice and counselling to people with lived experience. Specialisms amongst our members include BME mental health, children and young people’s mental health, housing and homelessness, employment support, IAPT and secure pathways – taking a whole-life and whole-person approach. Our members are united by their desire to improve the quality of care for people with mental health needs and the outcomes of the services provided.

2 Strategic priorities, objectives and activities

Overarching priorities

Valuing the Voluntary and Community Sector and influencing sector growth
• Improving practice in mental health
Ensuring the VCSE mental health provider sector is represented in mental health policy
• Increasing membership.

Strategic objectives

Representing Members and Service User Involvement & Engagement
Influencing Policy and Strategy
Best Practice Profiling
Shaping and Growing the Market for the Sector
Facilitating Networks and Engagement
Fostering Partnerships and Collaboration
Development of Frameworks and Guidance
Supporting Safer Practice
Developing Positive Outcomes
Supporting Equality and Parity in service Development and Implementation.

Support to members

An authoritative, representative voice to policy makers and commissioners
Access to key decision making forums, expertise, policy makers and influence
Translation between policy and practice
Breaking down complexities of the market place
Market intelligence and access to new markets
Innovative products & tools
Support and navigation in difficult and changing times
Collaborative development opportunities
Confidence in strength of numbers.

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3. Achievements and Performance

3.1 Projects

Mental Health Social Care

The Association has provided, through its facilitation and co-chairing (with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services) of the Mental Health Social Care Policy and Oversight Group, national leadership on the mental health social care. This Group continues provide advice to government, relevant bodies, partners, statutory health and care services and the mental health social care provider sector on:

the strategic priorities for social care and support services for people living with mental illness or experiencing mental distress and their unpaid carers, and those with relevant other needs e.g., related to substance misuse and homelessness;
the priority actions (and those responsible for these) necessary to maintain stability and continuity in mental health social care and its integration with services in local systems of care and support, to ensure they remain accessible, improve quality of life and other outcomes and keep people safe; and
how to address equality and human rights obligations relating to the mental health and wellbeing of our population, particularly supporting an intersectional approach to equity of access to support and outcomes.

The Group also provides a particularly Important forum for consideration of the essential role of charities in providing mental health social care and the perspectives of people with lived experience of mental Illness and their unpaid carers.

In responding to a request from the Department of Health and Social Care in June 2022, the Group produced a detailed narrative defining mental health social care in the context of the establishment and priorities of Integrated Care Boards and Systems, Mental Health Social Care: What it is, why and how it matters for Integrated Care - Association of Mental Health Providers (amhp.org.uk). This is now recognised as a key reference and resource, for understanding what mental health social care is, what it currently does, and its potential in local systems for delivering outcomes to help people experiencing mental illness or distress live meaningful lives as active citizens.

Mental Health Equality Now Campaign

In March 2023, the Association launched a new campaign, #MHEqualityNow, calling for urgent action to support community mental health services, as our new research reveals alarming insights into the demand on mental health services. Over 8 million people are supported by mental health charities providing services - that is 1 in 8 of our population – and a survey of The Association's 300+ members revealed:

a 100 per cent increase in waiting times for access to specialist referral and crisis services since summer 2022.
a 50 per cent rise in people presenting with increasing needs, particularly with anxieties related to money and housing because of the cost-of-living crisis.

We urged the Government to propose a plan of action to support mental health charities providing services and commit to sustainable ongoing and future funding for the sector. We continue to campaign to ensure the sector can meet demand and the cost of care and support from mental health charities is met fully.

We continue to call on the Government to consider the essential role of mental health charities in delivering services but also, in supporting vital parts of the wider system including social care, health, employment, housing, and criminal justice.

Mapping the Mental Health Sector

In March 2023, we were able to launch the first national picture of mental health service provision across England via a freely available interactive map by combining data from The Association’s members and other NHS and LA mental health service providers, as well demographic data including age, race, faith, and carers based on the recent Census. The tool has been developed for commissioners, service providers, and strategy makers, which

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maps mental health services within Integrated Care System/Board regions and Local Authority footprints. A highlevel resource, developed to support commissioning and collaborations locally, the map demonstrates the first national picture of mental health service provision. Initial findings suggested a level of unmet need for 2 million people in England.

To further support this work to understand mental health service provision, in May 2023, we published a clearer overview of the national and regional picture of the mental health social care workforce, which can be visualised via a freely available interactive map and census data dashboard.

Both resources evidence the growing challenges in the provision of and access to mental health services across England, and the challenges the VCSE sector faces. By bringing these datasets together in one place, The Association hope to improve understanding of how local, regional and national labour markets interact and what these interactions mean for workforce planning locally and regionally, particularly when reviewing specialist positions.

Community Mental Health Transformation Programme

As a strategic partner of Community Mental Health Transformation Programme, a three-year programme, funded by the Charities Aid Foundation, the Association has continued to support its delivery over the past year, guided by a reference and advisory group established for this purpose.

The Advisory Group has provided the Programme with an opportunity to consider:

how the needs of and support for unpaid carers of people with mental Illness are being met via community mental health transformation initiatives; and
the experience of personalised care and particularly the numbers of people with mental illness in receipt of a Personal Health Budget in those localities participating in the Programme.

The Association's contribution to the work of this Programme has also helped enable it to consider how best to secure the engagement and sustainability of the full range of charities providing mental health services and support in the redesign and improvement of local mental health services.

NHS England National Workforce Census of Social Workers and Social Care Workforce within Mental Health Services 2022

During 2022-23, the Association has worked with the NHS Benchmarking Network and NHS England to deliver a workforce census focusing on social worker and social care staff provision within mental health services as on 31 March 2022.

This project built a comprehensive census of social workers and social care staff in mental health services delivered across NHS Trusts, local authorities, independent sector organisations, and the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. The project captured a detailed profile of:

Workforce size and composition, including employment arrangements,
Social worker positioning within mental health services,
Social worker activity,
Workforce demographics and key performance indicators,
Service model and workforce composition of VCSE sector services supporting people with mental health conditions.

The first of its kind to include mental health charities, the survey’s findings illustrate that the VCSE mental health workforce is more highly skilled, extensive and meeting a wider, often more complex range of mental health needs, in settings from hospital to home, than has hitherto been fully acknowledged, or understood.

Digital Social Care

Throughout the year, The Association has been able to deliver a range of bespoke communications to support members with key digital and technology updates for the care and support market. These cover a range of topics including digital readiness, preparation of the roll out of care management tools, peer to peer webinar learnings session and advice on cyber security. We were also able to support members to ensure they maintain compliance with the DSTP toolkit for working with NHS services.

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Lived Experience Advisory Group

The Association established its own Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) in July 2022, which is co-chaired by two experts of mental health services in their capacity as a “user of services” and a “carer”, bringing two different perspectives of access, delivery, and receipt of services.

Through the LEAG, the Association aims to better understand people’s experiences of mental health services, whether delivered by its members, the wider VCSE and social care mental health sector, or the NHS. We hope the knowledge we gain from people who have lived experience will support the work of Government and inform national policy as well as drive change in practice and service delivery.

The LEAG brings together people from across the country, from different backgrounds, facing different challenges, as we aim to be inclusive of varying perspectives and experiences and ensure we can be as representative as possible. Its membership is representative of people who share protected characteristics and/or that experience health inequalities, whilst also considering the role of wider social and economic determinants on their differing experiences.

People who draw on services and their families and carers are central to everything we do and through the sharing of their experiences in this Group, The Association aims to embed the voice of living experience in all our programmes and projects, with members offering advice, guidance, and feedback on our work.

The Group works in collaboration with The Association’s existing project-specific advisory groups and through other joint-working, as appropriate. The LEAG supports The Association's team, as well as challenges them, on living experience involvement, inclusion, representation, and coproduction.

Over the last year, the Group has engaged with our communications activities supporting our content to be more person-centred and has supported our campaign on mental health equality to ensure that our work is meeting the needs of people with lived experience and continues to centre them in all workstreams.

3.2 Recovery and Prevention

One of the key objectives of The Association is to promote recovery of mental health conditions. There is growing awareness that this should take in all areas of individuals’ lives, a holistic process that focuses on more than clinical recovery. There is an emphasis on improved self-management, stronger social relationships, suitable and settled accommodation, improved chances in education and higher employment rates.

The Five Year Forward View also stated that there needs to be prevention plans in every community across England to help integrate public health, social care and housing and improve health outcomes, with mental health campions in every community.

The Association has continued to work with the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England to build resilience and promote prevention so that more people are supported earlier.

In order to deliver improved prevention, crisis support and recovery The Association continues to promote whole system solutions and a more collaborative and integrated approach to the provision of services, with involvement in service transformation planning, case studies and knowledge and working closely with system partners.

Public Benefit

Better outcomes and service user leadership
Improved understanding of value of VCSE input
Improved commissioning
Safety Planning and Information Sharing
Values based Commissioning
Service user involvement and influence on commissioning objectives
Supporting quality in service delivery for members
Taking forward research and learning which is publicly shared and widely accessible
• Foundational underpinning for person centred practice
Supporting members with commissioning and regulation

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3.3 Programmes

Health and Wellbeing Alliance

The Association became a key partner of the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance in April 2017, which is jointly managed by the Department of Health and Social Care, Public Health England, and NHS England. The programme follows on from the Department of Health Third Sector Strategic Partnership Programme, which we were partners in from April 2010 – March 2017. The Association has been the lead partner, in both programmes, of a group of voluntary sector mental health organisations – the Mental Health Consortium - including Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, Mind, National Survivor User Network, and Rethink Mental Illness. Since April 2021, The Association has led the Consortium in the newly-refreshed VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance and brought into the Consortium, a new partner, to represent the interests of children and young people – Young Minds. Together, we work to promote better outcomes for mental health service users and carers, making information and best practice more accessible. The Health and Wellbeing Alliance is made up of 18 other not-forprofit partners that represent communities who share protected characteristics or that experience health inequalities, and through our individual networks, the partners can link with communities and VCSE organisations across England. Through the Programme, the Mental Health Consortium links with System Partners to undertake specific agreed work programmes aimed at benefiting the strategic development of the not-for-profit mental health, and wider health and social care, sector.

The Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Health and Wellbeing Alliance has been established to:

Facilitate integrated working between the voluntary and statutory sectors
Support a two-way flow of information between communities, the VCSE sector and policy leads
Amplify the voice of the VCSE sector and people with lived experience to inform national policy
Facilitate co-produced solutions to promote equality and reduce health inequalities.

The objectives of the Programme are to:

Encourage co-production in the creation of person-centred, community-based health and care which promotes equality for all.
Enable the voice of people with lived experience and those experiencing health inequalities to inform national policy making and shape the delivery of services.
Build evidence of sustainable, scalable solutions to mitigate and prevent inequalities impacting on the health and wellbeing of communities.

The Mental Health Consortium partners worked collaboratively to support the development of health and social care policy across government in order to:

Influence change in health and social care to benefit those who access and rely on services, especially individuals needing mental health support
Champion the cause for service users and carers with mental health conditions
Interpret government policy for third sector mental health organisations for local application
Mapping the health and social care reforms to facilitate engagement and input to the process of quality assurance and outcomes
Advise and inform Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and UK Health Security Agency about key issues in the health and social care field affecting the third sector
Achieve shared objectives in improving health and well-being and reducing health inequalities
Provide methods for disseminating information, policy developments and key programmes – enabling third sector organisations to engage in the delivery of health and well-being objectives.

Our work programmes with other Health and Wellbeing Alliance partners, leading to March 2023 have been diverse and each of the projects for 2022-23 have been completed and disseminated within the sector. The Association undertook three projects as part of our core Alliance work that must focus on reducing health inequalities. All three of our projects were developed from work to support the Advancing Mental Health Equalities Taskforce and were presented to the Taskforce in its June meeting. Whilst the Taskforce itself is currently focusing on racial inequalities only, two out of three of our supporting projects are approaching this from a wider lens and

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considering inequalities faced by different communities such as LGBT, homeless, those in contact with the CJS, older people, and more.

The projects focused on racism in Talking Therapies (IAPT services), advancing equalities in local systems, and using data and intelligence to advance equalities. This work was also closely related to our work on data.

We have supported partners in the HWA with their projects by disseminating surveys and sharing opportunities to engage to ensure the VCSE mental health sector is informing a range of projects. These include: The role of community spaces in young people’s mental health and community engagement; maternal mental health and neonatal care project; Exploring the impact of digital exclusion on access to (mental) healthcare among people seeking asylum in England; Older people’s mental health diagnosis and treatment; and more.

Furthermore, we are participating in two subgroups focusing on social care and experiences of care. Since Year 1, Kathy Roberts has co-chaired the social care subgroup offering significant and insightful influencing to policy colleagues from across the DHSC. The Association also worked with DHSC to deliver a webinar on the social care narrative as part of our dissemination activities from the previous year’s project, which highlighted tips, resources, and case studies from the sector. The subgroup offers partners the opportunity to engage with developing policies and strategies such as the major conditions strategy, winter planning, workforce survey and the autumn statement. For the experiences of care subgroup, we worked with 4 other organisations in the HWA to deliver a short 3-month project focusing on coproduction in the VCSE sector and ICSs to build a database of case studies from a lived experience and provider perspective.

Public Benefit

This work assists other charities to represent the concerns of the people they serve by providing wider information about policy initiatives and sectoral representation into key areas of public policy development
• It also creates a two-way conduit whereby the mental health voluntary sector can positively influence and advocate with statutory bodies enabling the not-for-profit sector to have an active voice into decision making
Fosters a culture of collaboration with strategic partners across all sectors and specialisms.

Enterprise Development Programme

The Association continued its role as a sector partner on the Enterprise Development Programme, funded by Access, the foundation for social investment. It offers grant and learning support for SME social sector organisations operating in England, to help them test, implement or scale enterprise activities, in turn helping a diversification of income and increased organisational sustainability.

Between April 2022 and March 2023, no further organisations were added to the cohort, however the existing 55 organisations continued to be offered varied support opportunities. By the end of the year a total of the maximum £1.3M had been allocated to participating organisation across the programme’s lifetime. The organisations continued to access learning workshops that were considered valuable (e.g. marketing and branding, pricing, tendering, strategic planning, impact measurement), and 1:1 in-depth financial management expertise, to upgrade reporting processes / procedures and/or gain greater ability to forecast and plan future financial scenarios. A final block of virtual peer learning sessions were also held giving opportunity for organisations to have regular access to a community of other Providers facing similar questions and obstacles (specifically around trading and enterprise).

Part-way through this financial year, the Association transitioned into an Alumni Phase ‘coordinator’ role on the programme where more focus was given to (i) Network facilitation, (ii) continued Individual VCSE support, and (iii) generating Knowledge and Learning for the wider sector. As part of this we saw commissioned research by Bayes University on the models of beneficiary involvement in social enterprise operations . The research offers various ‘segments’ of useful insight from ‘how organisations approach the subject of pay’, ‘what new ventures of this kind need to consider from the start’, ‘how organisations support their employees’, and ‘how organisations monitor/measure the impact upon employees’.

Another big part of the knowledge generation work has been to ‘spotlight’ a variety of mental health organisations in terms of their trading and enterprise models, the journey of developing this income, and the consequent impact

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on their mission. These have the objective of being a useful resource for organisations who haven’t had access to the Enterprise Development Programme, to help them on their own enterprise journeys.

Insights to Provider’s programme experiences

Unforgettable Experiences – supported with their wellbeing support services sold to various public sector departments.

“EDP has been instrumental in helping us to define how our organisation makes a difference to the lives of adults with cognitive impairments through the development of its Theory of Change and Impact Measurement Framework. Meeting with Greg Woolley to discuss UE's plans and challenges for information, advice, and guidance - this support was priceless and understated. Financial support to invest in development of market research, theory of change and additional staff capacity. Without this, UE would not be in the position it is in as there would have been no one to lead the helm during an exceptionally challenging year.”

Oakleaf Enterprise – supported with their Oakleaf at Home retail enterprise.

“Apart from the investment to be able to get the social enterprise off the ground and create recognition for our client artists, the quarterly check ins were invaluable. A great forum to bounce ideas off of Greg. This provided the opportunity to learn from shared findings from other social enterprises. The networking sessions were also hugely valuable to learn from the other enterprises experience to be able to continuously adapt to new trading conditions and again bounce off ideas on each other.”

Family Compass – supported with expanding their room hire trading income.

“The support from the programme has been transformational, both financially and in terms of the expertise offered. We’ve seen our trading income grow 60% this year, whilst we forecast a bigger increase next year. And importantly we have such clarity in terms of our ‘social’ and more commercial activities.

Youth and Arts Health Trust – supported to expand their therapeutic services sold to schools

“The grant has enabled us to “protect“ time for me to work on developing our trading offer, rebranding and also “selling“ to potential customers. This has enabled us to review what and how we provide, and how we communicate it. In turn, across the programme, the organisation has more than tripled its sales target, achieving £17,650.

The Restoration Trust – supported with creating a new consultancy service (focused on using heritage to small health and wellbeing)

“It's great to feel connected with a community of knowledge and good practice, and to be in contact with other organisations facing similar challenges and overcoming them in creative and inspirational ways. The Peer Support was also fantastic, and I think it is vital to have this kind of reflective space. Thank you for that.”

Mental Health Sustainability Programme

In response to the pandemic, The Association, in coalition with 15 other leading mental health charities and social enterprises launched the Mental Health Sustainability Programme to help VCSE mental health service providers sustain their services during and after the pandemic. The Programme particularly seeks to support communities who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic due to existing health inequalities, such as minoritised communities, LGBT+, children and young people, older people, new mothers, and those in contact with the criminal justice system.

A key element of the Programme, facilitated by the funding received, was the employment of the Community Engagement Officer, now Senior Programme Officer, who has been integral to the functioning and expansion of the Programme.

We have continued to reach the 100+ providers we have been connected to over the course of this year, sustaining contact and developing the Programme with them in mind. This development includes:

The release of our final evaluation report [attached] – which includes the successful reporting on the second grant round and further Programme deliverables (such as webinars, sustainability toolkit sessions and more); as well as greater analysis of our successes and learnings to embed in our own work now the Programme has formally been completed.

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A diverse offer of webinars and peer support forums (continuing on an ad-hoc basis since our last report); with webinars providing organisations with “so much [knowledge]…I can now take back to my workplace”, whilst peer support forums left leaders feeling “privileged to be part of the network…[and have] the opportunity to network with like-minded [individuals].”
Ad-hoc sounding board and more partner-led and sector-led sessions for providers to receive more bespoke support from industry professionals (across the VCSE and our private sector partners) where providers “left [the Sounding Board session] feeling seen and heard [which] means a lot to me. Any doubts or uncertainties I had today have been removed [thanks to this session]”.
Our new headline offer of Sustainably Toolkits – an “induction-like” building block of six sessions on organisational development, finance, legal, HR, wellbeing and EDI that has enabled leaders to be more responsive and knowledgeable in core areas of business/organisational management, where they have been lacking internal capacity and expertise. With feedback such as “I thought the facilitator was excellent and covered a huge range of very helpful information in a short space of time and in a really clear and accessible way” – all of which contributed to more resilient organisations and leaders.

We formally wrapped up the Programme, choosing to take the continued deliverables in-house, as a result of finishing the aims of this programme as they were laid out in May 2020.

The Association is proud to still have these organisations in our membership today and are committed to continuing to provide support to them as we move through 2023 and beyond.

We have also continued to build on a matched funded partnership with Creative Minds, a charity hosted by South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust, which develops creative activities in partnership with community organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of Trust service users. The matched funding partnership with Creative Minds, a charity hosted by Southwest Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust, continues in the form of a “community project”. The interim updates on this project, which develops creative activities in partnership with community organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of Trust service users, has been incredibly positive, especially considering the continued lockdowns/after-effects and the effect on mental health, loneliness, creativity, community and cohesion.

Care Provider Alliance

The Association is a key partner in the Care Provider Alliance, which is collective, national voice of adult social care providers in England, and was chaired by Kathy Roberts (CEO) in 2020-2021. The CPA brings together the ten national associations which represent private, voluntary and community sector providers and speaks for the whole of the adult social care sector including care homes, home care services, Shared Lives schemes and retirement communities.

Our CEO continues to be a key influencer within the Care Provider Alliance whose focus has been to coordinate and inform policymakers on behalf of the mental health social care sector. The regular weekly meetings and other key events throughout the year have focused on the Government’s publication’s, People at the Heart of Care Next Steps, development as well as social care provider funding and workforce concerns impacting our members. Much of the focus has been on the integrated care emerging practice and influencing the recently published Hewitt Review Report.

The CPA represents providers of support to adults with physical, sensory or learning disabilities, people with mental ill-health, and older people. CPA members cover almost 10,000 organisations, employ over 600,000 staff, and support an estimated 1 million people every day.

The CPA’s role is to:

coordinate responses across all care providers
inform and influence policymakers
provide leadership to the sector
work in partnership to improve care
build awareness of the care provider sector

The CPA’s unparalleled reach into the care sector enables us to collect, collate and communicate insights about new developments, innovations and market trends, and their impact on care providers and the people they

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support. Working with our network of CPA members, developing and sharing practical advice and guidance for care managers, owners and staff.

3.4 Stakeholder Engagement

Our engagement and communications outputs enable The Association to make information accessible to promote the work of the organisation to a wider audience. This enables The Association to reach out to organisations across the voluntary, private and statutory sector. It promotes dialogue across the sectors and the sharing of ways of working that have an impact on the quality of care provision.

During 2022/23 The Association hosted 60 members meetings to foster engagement between the organisation and its membership, increase networking opportunities, outline our work programme to encourage involvement, as well as provide opportunities for VCSE providers to share best practice to improve service delivery. The meetings allowed members to share their experiences of the ongoing pandemic and the impact on service delivery, learn from and support each other, and share challenges and solutions. The engagement with members helped inform policy throughout the year. We have built on these engagement meetings by also hosting roundtable/ webinars events to inform the direction of mental health policy.

Our meetings with the Association’s membership are important for sharing intelligence and the development of a distinct and strong national network of VCSE mental health provider organisations. We continue to receive positive feedback from a range of those colleagues attending these meetings, who indicate their value as an important place to find peer support and for sharing both strategic and operational challenges and solutions.

In addition to this, the Business and Service Continuity Group, initially established at the onset of the pandemic, now meets fortnightly to share, review and advise on operational priorities and developments. The meetings, which are attended by a small group of members (predominantly but not exclusively larger providers), provide a focused space to share information (and where feasible) promote and support the development of guidance and good practice in relation to the commissioning, management, and delivery of VCSE mental health and other related services during the pandemic.

This Group continues to help ensure that the Association’s ongoing representation and identification of providers’ interests and concerns, in discussions with government and other national bodies and partners, remains as fully informed and current as possible.

Communications

A greater focus has been placed on our communications and engagement activities in the last year and has seen an increase in our media coverage, including radio interviews and articles in sector press. Social media channels for both the Association and the CEO have seen a steady increase, with the campaign and map launches resulting in peak social media activity and engagement.

In addition, the campaign achieved radio coverage via Broadcast Revolution:

5 interviews resulting in 2,197,000 total audience reach
75 syndicated stations, 3,337,326 total audience reach

Total coverage, 80 stations, with 5,534,326 total audience reach.

The Association has improved communications with our members by sending regular updates to inform colleagues of our work. A monthly bulletin is sent that consists of relevant updates on strategic system changes and allows members to respond actively to government and national strategy. Members also receive detailed updates regarding our work across our priority areas and policy updates containing vital information about policy developments and further opportunities for engagement.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Profiling the Sector and The Association

Promoting the role of providers in the sector is a key role for The Association as well as a better understanding of the role of the organisation. The Association has continued to pursue opportunities to raise the profile the sector and the contribution it makes in providing mental health services. Among the main activities have been:

Influencing Government and Drivers at National, Regional and local level including NHS England, interface with the DHSC, CQC, Care Provider Alliance, Think Local Act Personal Programme Board (TLAP), the Mental Health Independent Advisory and Oversight Group, and Advancing Mental Health Taskforce
Profiling Best and Better practice
Facilitating Networks and engagement.

Public Benefit

Communicating about our work with our members and other stakeholders is central to sharing information and experience and contributing to policy development with a view to improving services and understanding the sector contribution and impact
Allowing for wider engagement with The Association
• Creating flexibility in dissemination and information sharing.

3.5 Strategic Influencing

The Association has been in a good position to influence the shaping of mental health policy and practice and has undertaken several key tasks in order to ensure that the not-for-profit mental health provider community has a clear voice:

Representation in the Care Providers Alliance
Representation in the Mental Health Leaders Group
Chair of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy and Oversight Group
Representation in the Mental Health Independent Advisory and Oversight Group
Representation in the Advancing Mental Health Equality Taskforce
Representation in the Social Care Leads Group
Representation on the Think Local Act Personal Programme Board
Representation and Participation in CQC External Reference Panels
Care and Support Programme Board
CQC ASC Trade association monthly meetings
Representation and Participation in the All-Party Parliamentary Group sessions

3.6 Plans for Future Periods

The Association will continue to

Advocate clearly so that ministers and system partners obtain a greater understanding of the breadth and depth of the Mental Health Voluntary and Community Sector to better utilise existing social capital.
Stand in an independent space to engage and be representative of the wider Mental Health and Community Sector of providers.
Emphasise equity, concentrating on creating a whole system service with an even spread across providers of mental health services; based on ability to deliver what people want and need irrespective type of provider.
Produce guidelines and briefings for ministers and commissioners that contain a more consistent and clarified understanding of outcomes and benefits of services provided, including cost analysis, properly showcasing the added value of the voluntary and community sector.
Endorse and encourage a better understanding of integration and contribution to whole system solutions beyond looking at process and joint resources.
Endorse and encourage overall improved commissioning and viable contracting, that demonstrates a clear understanding of the needs of a changing and evolving health and care landscape.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Endorse and encourage a sustained commitment to better resourcing of prevention in mental health, with the foresight that such investment can save both resource and human lives.
Market widely the qualities of Mental Health Voluntary and Community Sector providers, and encourage their involvement in the development of regulation and statute, ensuring that there is an open and responsive dialogue between Voluntary and Community Sector practice and statute.
Endorse and encourage the current commitment to creating parity of esteem for mental health care, and would like to encourage Government to continue the commitment to a reduction in waiting times and standards for mental health, to improve access for people to appropriate care.
Encourage policymakers to take note of the weight that regulation and commissioning requirements can impose on high quality smaller scale voluntary and community sector organisations, resulting in an inability to retain or support workforce, and a reduction in the quality of overall practice and support.
Encourage policymakers to take note of existing innovation and pilot models already existing in the voluntary and community sector and to allocate resources for a wide range of mental health services, to ensure there is a choice for all.
Showcase and encourage developing partnership models that bring NHS and voluntary and community sector providers together effectively to create new and more flexible collaborative whole system vehicles delivering a more holistic range of person-centred services.

4. Governance

The Chief Executive is responsible to the Chair for organisational management and supporting the Governance. The Board of Trustees meets quarterly where quarterly performance and strategies are discussed. The Board of Trustees then delegate operational responsibility to the Chief Executive who is supported by staff in delivering The Association’s objectives.

Board of Directors/Trustees

The Association’s Board is elected from the membership at Chief Executive level of organisations involved in the mental health sector. Dr Sri Kalidindi was appointed as Chair on 3 November 2021. Sanjay Shah, Finance Director for Certitude was appointed as Treasurer in December 2009. Trustees are familiar with the aims of the organisation through their work in the sector. Training is provided as required to assist Trustees in making decisions to benefit the work of The Association.

Staff

The Association employed a total of 9 staff during the year:

Kathy Roberts	Chief Executive Officer - FT
Dania Hanif	Head of Policy and Programmes - FT
Duncan Tree	Director of Policy and Partnerships – FT
Greg Woolley	Social Enterprise Development Manager – FT
Jyoti Shah	Finance Officer - PT
Hayley Alton	Community Engagement Officer – FT (contract ends 31 July 2023)
Dan Garbutt	Communications and Media Lead – PT (contract ended 30 November 2022)
Cheryl Hollis	Operations and Business Support Lead - PT
Ella Dunthorne	Digital Content Assistant – PT

Membership

The Association had 175 members (plus 137 Local Mind associations, plus 11 associate members) at the year end. A full list of members at 31[st] March 2023 is given on pages 15-17.

5. Financial Review

The Association has continued to manage resources effectively particularly during the past 12 months. Grant income decreased in 2022/23 to £313,475 (2021/22: £545,509), this was primarily as a result of some large, restricted funds received in 2021/22.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

At present we are budgeting for new income of £419,559 for 2023/24, however the ongoing impact of cost-ofliving price increases and the economic climate we face could result in a reduction of grant income.

In 2020/21 we received £503,750 from the private sector to lead on the Mental Health Sustainability Programme and £304,539 was carried forward to 2021/22. We received another donation of £50,000 in 2021/22 for this programme and £110,017 was carried forward to 2022/23. We now have £31,421 left from this funding to utilise in 2023/24.

We also received other grant income of £313,475 for several different programmes. This includes £90,000 from the Department of Health and Social Care for the Health and Wellbeing Alliance (HWA), £164,700 from Access for the Enterprise Development Programme, and £40,000 from Rethink Mental Illness for the CAF Community Mental Health Transformation Programme.

At the year end the financial statements show a deficit of £86,260 (2021/22: £38,550 deficit). The main reason for the deficit is due to expenditure incurred on restricted funds, which were brought forward from 2021/22 to be utilised in 2022/23.

Membership subscription in 2022/23 has decreased slightly to £82,644 (2021/22: £87,229) due to a few organisations having been unable to renew membership due to financial pressures in the current economic climate. The full membership list is on pages 15-17.

Reserves policy

The Board have agreed to keep a minimum of 3 months operating costs as reserves to ensure the on-going viability of the organisation. The Association is reliant on membership and grant income which remains difficult to maintain and has fluctuated over the past few years. To ensure The Association can continue to provide good effective support to its members it needs to ensure it has sufficient reserves to manage further reduction in income and protect its core support that it provides.

Following the deficit generated on both restricted and unrestricted funds for 2022/23, the general reserves for unrestricted funds have decreased from £372,750 to £342,212, and for restricted funds have decreased from £303,574 to £247,852.

The reserves target is currently being exceeded with reserves of over 12 months based on 2023/24 budgeted expenditure. This is being kept under review by the Board and commitments being made to ensure continued development but allowing for financial uncertainty particularly when we are reliant on grants.

Going Concern

We have set out above a review of financial performance and the organisations reserves position. We have adequate financial resources and are well placed to manage the business risks. Our planning process, including financial projections, has taken into consideration the current economic climate and its potential impact on the various sources of income and planned expenditure. We believe that there are no material uncertainties that call into doubt the organisation’s ability to continue. The accounts have therefore been prepared on the basis that the organisation is a going concern.

Detailed cash flow projections have been undertaken for the next 24 months and there are no material changes projected to both cash and reserves. We can manage our expenditure should the need arise where our income is reduced.

Staff Remuneration

Our approach to remuneration is designed to ensure we can attract and retain the talented and motivated people we need to achieve our mission and deliver our strategic goals. It is applied consistently across the organisation. We aim to pay competitively in the not-for-profit sector within the context of affordability. The Chief executive reviews and recommends pay reviews for all staff to the Board, the chair reviews and recommends the Chief Executive’s remuneration review to the Board.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Related parties

The organisations for which the Trustees hold Chief Executive Positions are also members of The Association with membership fees paid under the same terms as for all members. The Association holds the lead and coordination role for the Health and Wellbeing Alliance funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Funds are distributed to the Mental Health Foundation, Mind National, National Survivor User Network, Rethink Mental Illness and Centre for Mental Health, where appropriate. Please see note 17 for any related party transactions.

MEMBERSHIP

Action for Aspergers
Addictions North East
Addictions UK
Advance
Al Hurraya
Alridha Foundation
Anne Robson Trust
Anorexia and Bulimia Care
Anxiety UK
Anxious Minds
Arterne: Enriching the next generation CIC
First Steps ED 47. Free Your Instinct
Growing Well
Hackney Herbal CIC
Hammersley Homes
Happy Times Activities 52. hArt 53. Headssup CIC 54. HoardingUK Ltd 55. Home Start Elmbridge 56. Home Start South & West Devon
Artlift 57. Hope for the Community 13. Asian Family Counselling Service (AFCS) 58. HOPE- South Yorkshire Fire, Road and 14. Asperger’s Children and Carers Together Water-related Trauma Support for Families 15. Autism Family Support Oxfordshire 59. I Can Do That! CIC 16. Baby Umbrella 60. Illuminate 17. Bipolar UK 61. Imagine Independence 18. Black Health Initiative 62. In Your Corner 19. BLAM UK 63. Independent Mental Health Network 20. Bridge Support 64. Infinite Wellbeing C.I.C. 21. Bridges for Children CIC 65. Just for Women 22. Care in Mind 66. Just Psychology CIC 23. CASSPLUS 67. Kab's & Kabs cares CIC 24. Centre for Better Health 68. KAG Advocacy 25. Centre of Wellbeing, Training & Culture 69. Kanlungan Filipino Consortium (CWTC) 70. Keren
Certitude 71. KeyRing 27. Chasing the Stigma 72. Kids Inspire 28. Chester Sexual Abuse Support Service 73. Kindred Minds 29. Chilli Studios 74. Little Miracles Charitable Incorporated 30. Chiltern Music Therapy Organisation 31. Choice Support 75. Living Well Consortium 32. Choices Islington 76. London Nightline
Chrysalis Care New Generation
Make A Difference 78. Make a move
Citizen Coaching 78. Make a move 35. Cocoon Kids - Creative Counselling and Play 79. Making space Therapy CIC 80. ManHealth
Community Glue 81. Maytree
Making space
Coping with Cancer North East
Mental Health Concern
Crea8ing Careers
Mental health Matters
Creativity Works
MHFA England 85. MhIST (Mental Health Independent Support Team)
Cycling Minds CIC
Deaf-initely Women
Mindful Peak Performance CIC
Dementia Friendly Keighley 43. Encompass (Dorset) 44. Every Life Matters
Minds Ahead
Moodswings
Family Compass
Mosac

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

90. Mosaic Clubhouse	133. Southside Rehab
91. Mthwakazi Queens	134. Space to Breathe CIC Ltd
92. Multicultural Resource Centre	135. Step Out Mentoring (The Wells Trust)
93. Mums Aid	136. Studio Upstairs
94. Music24	137. Suicide Prevention Bristol Charity
95. Muslim Women’s Council	138. Support ME Maternal Project
96. Muslim Youth Helpline	139. Swans CIC
97. Mustaqbill (Future) Foundation	140. Sydenham Garden
98. N Compass	141. Talk for Health
99. Next Chapter NW CIC	142. Tandem
100. NIWE Eating distress service	143. Taraki Wellbeing
101. No5 Young People	144. The 180 Programme CIC
102. North East Wellbeing	145. The Brave Project Community Interest
103. North London Music Therapy	Company
104. Oakleaf Enterprise	146. The Cellar Trust
105. Off the record - BANES	147. The Centre for Specialist Educational
106. Open Briefing	Assistance ltd
107. Open Door Charity	148. The Craig Tyler Trust
108. Our Place Support CIC	149. The Flowhesion Foundation
109. Our Time	150. The Grow Project
110. Oxfordshire Chinese Community and Advice	151. The Harbour Project
Centre (OCCAC)	152. The Listening Place
111. Oxygen	153. The Parent House
112. PANDAS Foundation	154. The Recovery Circle
113. Parenting Project	155. The Restoration Trust
114. Pregnancy Crisis Care (Plymouth & SE	156. The Sporting Memories Foundation
Cornwall)	157. The Warrior Programme
115. Radiate Arts C.I.C	158. Together for Mental Wellbeing
116. RAHAB PROJECT	159. Turning point
117. Reach Out for Mental Health	160. Tyneside Women’s Health
118. Recovery Republic CIC	161. Ultimate Counselling
119. Relate Chesterfield and North Derbyshire	162. Unforgettable Experiences
120. Rethink Mental Illness	163. Viewpoint (Herts Viewpoint)
121. Reverse The Trend Foundation	164. Voades
122. Richmond Fellowship	165. Voice Ability
123. Ripple Suicide Prevention Charity	166. Warrington Community living
124. Sandwell African Caribbean Mental Health	167. Winchester Youth Counselling
Foundation	168. Wish
125. Scarborough Survivors	169. Working Well Trust
126. Seaview	170. Worth-it Positive Education CIC
127. Second Step	171. Yellow House
128. Seed of Hope	172. YIS
129. Self Help Services	173. You Raise Me Up
130. Sheffield Flourish	174. Youth Arts and Health Trust
131. Somewhere House Somerset	175. Youthline Ltd
132. South Asian Health Action

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

Agenda
Centre for Mental Health
Consortium - The National LGB&T partnership
Faith Action
Men’s Health Forum
Mental Health Foundation
Mental Health North East
Mind
National Survivor User Network
Suicide Prevention and Intervention
Volition

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Trustees’ Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements

A resolution proposing that Beever and Struthers be re-appointed as independent examiners of the charity will be put to the Annual General Meeting.

The report of the Trustees has been prepared taking advantage of the small companies’ exemption of section 415(A) of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in notes to the financial statements and comply with the charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland published in October 2019.

This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 5 July 2023 and was signed on its behalf, by:

Dr Sridevi Kalidindi Chair

Sanjay Shah Treasurer

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES

OF VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of the company for the year ended 31 March 2023 which are set out on pages 20 to 32.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity Trustees of the company (and also its Directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company’s financial statements as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since the company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the financial statements give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.

Michael Tourville FCA Beever and Struthers Chartered Accountants

150 Minories, London, EC3N 1LS

Date: 27 September 2023

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (incorporating the Income and Expenditure Account)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Note Income and Endowments from: *Investments:* Investment income 3 *Charitable activities:* Grants receivable Membership services, conferences and events 2 Total incoming resources Expenditure on: *Charitable activities* 4 Total resources expended Net income / (expenditure) 7 Transfers between funds Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward	Total Total Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds Funds Funds 2023 2022 £ £ £ £ 3,798 - 3,798 115 - 316,225 316,225 548,259 82,644 - 82,644 87,229
	82,644 316,225 398,869 635,488
	86,442 316,225 402,667 635,603
	114,240 374,687 488,927 674,153
	114,240 374,687 488,927 674,153
	(27,798) (58,462) (86,260) (38,550) - - - -
	(27,798) (58,462) (86,260) (38,550) 372,750 303,574 676,324 714,874
	344,952 245,112 590,064 676,324

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. All gains and losses recognised in the year are included above.

The notes on pages 23 to 32 form an integral part of these financial statements.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

COMPANY NUMBER: 05536120

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 MARCH 2023

Notes FIXED ASSETS Tangible fixed assets 9 Intangible fixed assets 10 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors 11 Cash at bank and in hand CREDITORS: amounts falling due within one year 12 NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL NET ASSETS 13 CHARITY FUNDS Unrestricted reserves 14 Restricted reserves 15	£ 11,602 627,840	2023 £ 2,628 - 587,436 590,064	2022 £ £ 2,832 - 44,227 666,028 710,255 (36,763) 673,492 676,324 372,750 303,574 676,324
	639,442 (52,006)

		344,952 245,112 590,064

For the year ending 31 March 2023 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors’ responsibilities:

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476;
The Directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime and in accordance with FRS 102 and the Charities SORP (FRS 102).

The financial statements on pages 20 to 32 were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 5 July 2023 and signed on their behalf, by:

Dr Sridevi Kalidindi Chair

Sanjay Shah Treasurer

The notes on pages 23 to 32 form an integral part of these financial statements.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Notes Cash flow from operating activities Net cash flow from operating activities i Cash flow from investing activities Investment income Purchase of tangible fixed assets Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities Cash flow from financing activities Net Cash provided by/(used in) financing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents brought forward Cash and cash equivalents carried forward Cash and cash equivalents consist of: Cash at bank and in hand Note i Net movement in funds Depreciation Investment income Decrease/(increase) in debtors Increase/(decrease) in creditors Net cash inflow from operating activities	2023 2022 £ £ (40,314) (67,933) 3,798 115 (1,108) (378)
	2,690 (263) - - - -
	(38,188) (69,273) 666,028 735,301 627,840 666,028 627,840 666,028 (85,756) (38,550) 1,312 1,416 (3,798) (115) 32,625 (40,703) 15,303 10,019
	(40,314) (67,933)

The notes on pages 23 to 32 form an integral part of these financial statements.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Legal Status

Voluntary Sector Mental Health Providers Forum is a charitable company limited by guarantee (Charity number 1120222, Company number: 05536120) with the Charity Commission incorporated in England under the Companies Act 2006. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity. The address of the registered office is 3rd Floor Watson House, 54 Baker Street, London, W1U 7BU. The nature of the charity’s operations and principal activities are supporting voluntary sector mental health organisations in influencing mental health practice and policy.

Basis of Accounting

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Practice.

The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost basis of accounting and are presented in sterling £.

As a public benefit entity, Voluntary Sector Mental Health Providers Forum, has applied the public benefit entity ‘PBE’ prefixed paragraphs of FRS 102.

Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost and represent amounts expended on capital items exceeding £500.

Depreciation is calculated so as to the write off cost of fixed assets over the estimated useful lives of the assets concerned as follows:

Computer equipment Over 3 years

Intangible fixed assets

Intangible fixed assets are stated at cost and represent amounts expended on capital items exceeding £500.

Amortisation is calculated so as to the write off cost of fixed assets over the estimated useful lives and their useful lifespans of the assets concerned as follows:

Software Over 3 years

Income

Membership income is recognised over the year to which it relates, net of VAT. Revenue grants are credited to the financial statements when received or receivable, whichever is earlier, unless they relate to a specific future year, in which case they are deferred.

Expenditure

Resources expended are recognised in the year in which they are incurred. Resources expended include attributable VAT which cannot be recovered. Costs are allocated to activities where directly attributable. Support costs are apportioned based on an estimate of staff time spent on each activity.

Governance costs include costs incurred in meeting constitutional and statutory requirements.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

Fund accounting

The general fund comprises those monies that may be used towards meeting the charitable objectives at the discretion of the Trustees.

The restricted funds are monies raised for, and their use restricted to, a specific purpose, or donations subject to donor-imposed conditions. Expenditure meeting the relevant criteria is charged to this fund.

Taxation

The company is a registered charity and therefore is not liable for income tax or corporation tax on income derived from its charitable activities, as it falls within the various exemptions available to registered charities.

Pension costs

The charitable company operates a defined contribution scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charitable company in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable under the scheme by the charitable company to the fund. The charitable company has no liability under the scheme other than for the payment of those contributions.

Going Concern

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the Trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The Trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure are sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern.

Financial instruments

Financial instruments such as loans, accounts payables, accounts receivables and cash are classified either as basic or complex. All financial instruments are initially measured at their fair values at the time the transactions occur. Subsequently all basic instruments are measured at amortised cost and all complex financial instruments are measured at a fair value through the comprehensive income.

Financial instruments held by the charity are classified as follows:

Financial assets such as cash are held at cost,
Financial assets such as cash, current asset investments and receivables are classified as loans and receivables and held at amortised cost using the effective interest method,
Financial liabilities such as bonds and loans are held at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

The following judgements (apart from those involving estimates) have been made in the process of applying the above accounting policies that have had the most significant effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements:

Depreciation rates for tangible fixed assets,
Amortisation rates for intangible fixed assets.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

2. INCOMING RESOURCES FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Grants receivable Health and Wellbeing Alliance Health and Wellbeing Alliance Experiences of Care Subgroup Project Access National Care Forum NHS East of England NHS England CAF Community Mental Health Transformation CPA Additional Work Funding Mental Health Sustainability Programme Registered Nursing Home Association Donations Membership services, conferences and events Membership subscriptions Total	Unrestricted funds 2023 Restricted funds 2023 Total funds 2023 £ £ £ - 90,000 90,000 - 4,000 4,000 - 164,700 164,700 - - - - - - - 7,475 7,475 40,000 40,000 - 1,500 1,500 - 2,750 2,750 - 5,800 5,800 - - -	Total funds 2022 £ 92,750 52,500 138,968 33,562 102,750 - 40,000 37,229 50,000 - 3,601
	- 316,225 316,225	551,360
	82,644 - 82,644	84,128
	82,644 - 82,644	84,128

	82,644 316,225 398,869	635,488

In 2022/2023, of the total income from charitable activities, £82,664 was unrestricted and £316,225 was restricted.

3. INVESTMENT INCOME

Bank deposit interest	Unrestricted funds 2023 Restricted funds 2023 Total funds 2023 Total funds 2022 £ £ £ £ 3,798 - 3,798 115

In 2022/2023 all income from investments was unrestricted.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

4. TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED

Charitable activities Membership services, conferences and events Health and Wellbeing Alliance Health and Wellbeing Alliance Experiences of Care Subgroup Project Access National Care Forum NHS England NHS East of England CAF Community Mental Health Transformation CPA Additional Funding Strategic Partnership Programme Mental Health Sustainability Programme Registered Nursing Home Association Total resources expended	Direct staff costs Direct costs Support costs 2023 Total 2022 Total £ £ £ £ £ 99,617 - 14,623 114,240 14,451 68,000 22,000 - 90,000 90,000 4,000 - - 4,000 52,500 57,674 33,542 10,707 101,923 98,843 2,443 3,125 - 5,568 52,811 2,925 - - 2,925 29,034 - 3,226 32,260 92,441 48,167 - 2,600 50,767 26,481 - - 98 98 465 1,139 42,059 39,108 179 81,346 245,023 5,800 - - 5,800 -
	359,719 97,775 31,433 488,927 674,154

Charitable activities
Membership services, conferences and
events
Health and Wellbeing Alliance
Health and Wellbeing Alliance
Experiences of Care Subgroup Project
Access
National Care Forum
NHS England
NHS East of England
CAF Community Mental Health
Transformation
CPA Additional Funding
Strategic Partnership Programme
Mental Health Sustainability Programme
Registered Nursing Home Association
Total resources expended

Direct
staff
costs
Direct
costs
Support
costs
2023
Total
2022
Total
£
£
£
£
£
99,617
-
14,623
114,240
14,451
68,000
22,000
-
90,000
90,000
4,000
-
-
4,000
52,500
57,674
33,542
10,707
101,923
98,843
2,443
3,125
-
5,568
52,811
2,925
-
-
2,925
29,034
-
3,226
32,260
92,441
48,167
-
2,600
50,767
26,481
-
-
98
98
465
1,139
42,059
39,108
179
81,346
245,023
5,800
-
-
5,800
-

359,719
97,775
31,433
488,927
674,154

Total support costs of £31,433 (2022: £20,490) are analysed in Note 5.

5. SUPPORT COSTS

SUPPORT COSTS
Wages and salaries Governance Premises costs Office costs IT	2023 2022 £ £ 16,986 6,689 15,104 3,611 786 410 6,562 589 282 904
	31,433 20,490

Total governance costs of £6,689 (2022: £3,611) are analysed in Note 6.

6. GOVERNANCE COSTS

GOVERNANCE COSTS
Travel, welfare, and sustenance Governance and Board Meetings Consultancy and Legal Fees Independent Examination Accounts preparation	2023 2022 £ £ 2,226 1,040 1,417 1,159 847 49 1,021 719 1,053 769
	6,689 3,611

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

7. NET OUTGOING RESOURCES BEFORE TRANSFERS

NET OUTGOING RESOURCES BEFORE TRANSFERS
This has been arrived at after charging (excluding VAT): Independent Examiner’s remuneration Accounts preparation	2023 2022 £ £ 1,159 1,053 847 769
	2,006 1,822

In common with many other organisations of our size and nature we use our Independent Examiner to assist with the preparation of the financial statements.

8. STAFF COSTS AND KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL REMUNERATION

The average number of persons employed during the year expressed in full time equivalents (35 hours per week) was: Number Full time equivalents Staff costs during the year were as follows: Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs	2023 2022 No. No. 9 7 9 6 2023 2022 £ £ 319,025 288,247 30,590 26,726 25,385 22,008
	375,000 336,981

The number of employees who received total employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) of more than £60,000 is as follows:

	2023	2022
	Number	Number
£60,000-£70,000	-	-
£70,000-£80,000	-	-
£80,000-£90,000	1	1

No other employees earned over this amount (2022: 0). The highest paid staff member received pension contributions in the year of £6,443 (2022: £6,409).

The Charity considers its key management personnel comprise the Trustees and the Chief Executive Officer.

No Trustee received any remuneration in respect of their services (2022: £0). Trustees received expenses reimbursed during the year to the value of £0 in relation to travel costs (2022: £0).

The total amount of employee benefits received by other key management personnel is £97,358 (2022: £96,355).

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

9. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Cost: At 1 April 2022 Additions Disposals At 31 March 2023 Depreciation: At 1 April 2022 Charge for year At 31 March 2023 Net Book Value: At 31 March 2023 At 31 March 2022 10. INTANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Cost: At 1 April 2022 Additions Disposals At 31 March 2023 Amortisation: At 1 April 2022 Charge for year At 31 March 2023 Net Book Value: At 31 March 2022 At 31 March 2023	Computer Equipment Total £ £ 6,691 6,691 1,108 1,108 - -
	7,799 7,799 3,859 3,859 1,312 1,312
	5,171 5,171
	2,628 2,628

	2,832 2,832
	Software Total £ £ - - - - - -
	- - - - - -
	- -
	- -

	- -

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

11. DEBTORS

Trade Debtors Prepayments Accrued Income	2023 2022 £ £ 9,800 43,315 1,802 912 - -
	11,602 44,227

All debtors are due within one year.

12. CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year

Trade Creditors Taxation and social security Accruals and Deferred Income Other creditors	2023 2022 £ £ 50,000 33,360 60 1,952 2,006 1,451 - -
	52,066 36,763

13. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

Fixed assets Current assets Creditors: amounts falling due within one year	Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds 2023 Total Funds 2022 £ £ £ £ 2,628 - 2,628 2,832 394,330 245,112 639,442 710,255 (52,006) - (52,006) (36,763)
	344,952 245,112 590,064 676,324

14. UNRESTRICTED FUNDS

General Funds	Balance at 1 April 2022 Incoming Resources Expenditure Transfers Balance at 31 March 2023 £ £ £ £ £ 372,750 86,442 (114,240) - 344,952
	372,750 86,442 (114,240) - 344,952

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

15. RESTRICTED FUNDS

The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of grants to be applied for specific purposes.

Health and Wellbeing Alliance Health and Wellbeing Alliance Experiences of Care Subgroup Project Access National Care Forum NHS East of England NHS England CPA Additional Funding Mental Health Sustainability Programme CAF Community Mental Health Transformation Registered Nursing Home Association	Balance at 1 April 2022 Incoming Resources Expenditure Transfers Balance at 31 March 2023 £ £ £ £ £ - 90,000 (90,000) - - - 4,000 (4,000) - - 70,796 164,700 (101,923) - 133,573 5,568 - (5,568) - - 32,260 - (32,260) - - - 7,475 (2,925) - 4,550 71,414 1,500 (98) - 72,816 110,017 2,750 (81,346) - 31,421 13,519 - 40,000 5,800 (50,767) (5,800) - - 2,752 -
	303,574 316,225 (374,687) - 245,112

The VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance is a key element of the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Programme; a partnership between voluntary sectors and the care system to provide a voice and improve the health and wellbeing for all communities.

Access funded a three-year Enterprise Development Programme (which ended on 30[th] September 2022) to support the small and medium sized enterprise sector in its diversification of income streams. The Association has been selected to deliver this programme as the main mental health sector partner. Access is providing further funding to continue this programme from October 2022 to March 2024.

National Care Forum, on behalf of the Care Provider Alliance, are sub-contracting The Association alongside 9 other CPA partner organisations, with funding provided by the Department of Health and Social Care, to support policy priorities through the collective representation of the health and social care sector.

NHS East of England has funded The Association to deliver a programme of work related to digital access to personalised mental health care. At year end, this work has been adapted to focus on the response to the pandemic.

Care Provider Alliance (CPA) Additional Funding covers grants from the Department of Health and Social Care and others to the CPA programme lead, which is the National Care Forum, and they work with the 9 other CPA partners including us.

The Mental Health Sustainability Programme aims to sustain services and improve and protect peoples’ mental health and wellbeing during and after the coronavirus pandemic.

The Registered Nursing Home Association (RNHA) provided funding in respect of the collaborative agreement held by the Association with RHNA for the provision of digital social care members communications.

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

16. LIABILITY OF MEMBERS

The charity is constituted as a company limited by guarantee. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1.

17. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

All the Directors hold senior positions at organisations that are either members of The Association or related non-provider organisations. Membership fees are paid to the The Association under the same terms as for all members.

The Association holds the co-ordination role for the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. The Association receives all funding and makes payments to the partners where appropriate, these are:

Mental Health Foundation Mind (National) National Survivor User Network (NSUN) Rethink Mental Illness Central for Mental Health (CMH) Young Minds

The Finance Officer, Jyoti Shah, is the wife of the Treasurer, Sanjay Shah. The Finance Officer received gross salary of £11,480 in the year and employer pension contributions of £918 (2022: gross salary £11,039 and employer pension contributions of £883). The Trustees are satisfied that the salary is at or below market rate for similar roles in the area.

18. TAXATION

By virtue of s.478 Corporation Tax Act 2010, the charitable company is exempt from Corporation Tax.

19. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The Charity’s financial instruments may be analysed as follows Financial Assets Financial Assets Measured at Cost Cash and Cash Equivalents Financial Assets Measured at Amortised Cost Trade Debtors Accrued income Total Financial Assets Financial Liabilities Financial Liabilities Measured at Amortised Cost Trade Creditors Other Creditors Total Financial Liabilities	2023 2022 £ £ 627,840 666,028 11,602 44,227 - -
	639,442 710,255
	50,000 33,360 2,066 -
	52,066 33,360

VOLUNTARY SECTOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS FORUM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

20. OPERATING LEASES

The Charity had no operating lease commitments as at 31 March 2023 (2022: Nil).

21. CAPITAL COMMITMENTS

The Charity had no capital commitments as at 31 March 2023 (2022: Nil).

22. ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET DEBT

Short and long term loan liabilities Total loan liabilities Cash and cash equivalents Change in debt resulting from cashflows	2022 Cash flows 2023 £ £ £ - - -
	- - - 666,028 (38,188) 627,840
	666,028 (38,188) 627,840