The Department of Health is to extend its £3.5m strategic partner programme for another year, the minister for care services announced yesterday.

Paul Burstow (pictured) made the announcement at the DoH’s Voluntary Sector Strategic Partners Conference in London. The strategic partners programme directly funds 25 national charities within 18 consortia.

Launched in 2009, the programme enables voluntary sector organisations to work in equal partnership with the DoH, NHS and social care to help shape and deliver policies and programmes.

It provided funding of more than £3.5m in 2011/12 and will deliver the same amount next year.  This means that over the four years since launch, the programme will have been worth £11.8m to the sector partners.

The consortia are:

• Age UK
• FaithAction
• Men’s Health Forum
• National Association for Voluntary and Community Action
• National Care Forum and Voluntary Organisations Disability Group
• National Children’s Bureau
• National Council for Palliative Care
• National Heart Forum
• Race Equality Foundation
• Radar, National Centre for Independent Living and Shaping Our Lives National User Network
• Regional Voices (a partnership of the nine Regional VCS Networks)
• Mental Health Providers Forum
• Carers UK, Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads
• Women’s Health and Equality Consortium
• Royal British Legion/Combat Stress
• Nacro and Action for Prisoners’ Families
• National Voices
• LGB&T Partnership