By L Boydell.The need for multi-sectoral collaboration is recognised in the health strategies of Ireland and Northern Ireland. This document is based on the experience shared by 31 participants at a workshop organised by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland. The Partnership Framework is a comprehensive guide to the formation of new partnerships to enhance existing efforts and/or evaluate the progress of developing partnerships. It is formed out of the basic elements of foundation, process and impact, and related elements: (i) grounding – building on a bedrock of diverse people, groups and organisations who share a desire to work in a relationship with each other; (ii) core foundation -shared purpose and hoped-for benefits of collaborative efforts; (iii) process and contextual factors -affecting the everyday activities of the collaboration; and (iv) impacts and outcomes – what is achieved, planned and unplanned, by working in collaboration.

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An ‘AlertBox’ linking people nearby is being trialled by councils and crime prevention groups in a move to reduce the fear of crime. A survey showed that 73 per cent of people believed that crime had risen since 1999 when in fact it has fallen by 17 per cent. The box, which is the size of a paperback book and uses state of the art radio technology, has one button to send a warning and another to offer help. The box has a range of 100 metres and a display shows the sender of a message and the time it was sent.The London Borough of Barnet is running a three-month trial with elderly and vulnerable people. Paul Hammond, director of Boroughwatch – an independent charitable organisation that sits in the local Partnership said: “The public is suffering from a loss of confidence, which is helping criminals. Giving people a sense of empowerment by harnessing the latest technologies is a great step forward to creating more secure neighbourhoods – both practically and psychologically. Our number one aim is to reduce the fear of crime and we feel confident that AlertBox will be a useful tool to help us achieve that. While we must wait until the end of the three month trial to give our final assessment, AlertBox has already been used successfully in action to alert the community to some worrying noise and disturbance by youths.

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Primary Care Trusts are now ‘responsible authorities’ under the Crime and Disorder Act and they have become full members of Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships giving them an equal voice. Trusts will now have more influence in shaping local action to tackle crime and the causes of crime. The new status will also offer real opportunities to affect the quality of life for their resident population.This latest development in joined up working recognizes that Trusts can make an impact in helping to tackle crime, disorder and the misuse of drugs. On drugs, there are already many successful examples of joint working. Trusts have a key role in increasing the numbers of problem drug users in treatment and they act as a banker for pooled drugs treatment budgets on behalf of local partnerships.

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