Social enterprises to receive 1.4 million pound boost

The government is set to make 1.4 million pounds of funding available to local social enterprise schemes under a new initiative announced today by care services minister Ivan Lewis.

A total of 26 trailblazing schemes in England will receive a boost from Department of Health (DoH) coffers in support of start-up costs and training.

Street newspaper The Big Issue is a well-known example of one such social enterprise, while other schemes provide a range of health and social services.

Therefore, under the plans, the government will give funding for enterprises ranging from tele-health services in rural communities to mobile units for drug, alcohol and rehabilitation services.

Announcing the investment, Mr Lewis expressed delight that the pathfinder enterprises are being supported in this way.

“This national programme will support the delivery of innovative services and. . .will help put people and patients at the heart of what we do,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Bland, chief executive of the Social Enterprise Coalition, welcomed the news.

He said: “This funding is a strong signal of the government’s commitment to encourage the public sector to tap into the vast potential of the social enterprise model.”

The DoH has also recently announced plans to introduce a new tool to improve health in the form of an obesity toolkit.