VHS is a movement for health creation working to reduce health inequalities to enable the people of Scotland to live well.
We believe that health is more than the absence of illness. We work with our members and partners to address health inequalities and champion preventative approaches.
The VHS Five Year Strategy 2025-2030 sets out our purpose and strategic priorities for the current five years.
VHS collaborates to provide the national voice for third sector health organisations in Scotland. Discover more here about all we do with our members and what we support them with through our membership network.
Hear about our work with Chief Executive Tejesh Mistry
Our Aims & Strategic Objectives
- Provide effective representation for third sector health organisations through the VHS Membership
- Promote strong partnership and parity between the third sector and the public sector, by platforming members’ voices, data and impact to policy makers
- Contribute to and promote the evidence base for health policy and practice
- Support and connect community projects from third sector health organisations
- Improve legislation policy and systems to deliver better solutions for Scotland’s health challenges
- Advocate for our Manifesto asks through parliament to seek cross-party support
How does VHS plan to achieve their goals?
Our Values
We believe they are a strong and rigorous set of values for us as an organisation and that they challenge us to be the best we possibly can. We regularly reflect on what our values mean to us, and we strive continuously to improve how we embed and enact our values day to day.
- Equity
- Collaboration for change
- Bold and Tenacious
- Our members are at the heart of everything we do
By centring equity in all that we do, we strive to ensure fair access to health, dignity, and wellbeing for every individual and community we serve.
By sharing knowledge, resources, and responsibility, we create stronger, more sustainable solutions that advance health and wellbeing for all.
We are visible and proactive; speaking up, showing up, and driving change even when challenges feel bigger than us.
Their passion, voices, and commitment drive our collective vision forwards and ensure that we remain connected to the communities we serve.
Our Governance
The purposes for which VHS was established in 2004 were and remain wholly and exclusively charitable. We are registered with OSCR as a Scottish Charity (SC035482). Check our details in the Scottish Charity Register here.
We are also registered as a company limited by guarantee (SC267315) with Companies House and are governed by our Articles of Association (our constitution). We are wholly non-profit making and non-profit distributing. We publish our latest accounts and annual report on this page each year.
We are governed by our Board members, who serve as Trustees and Directors in a voluntary capacity for which they are not remunerated. We also have a small staff team in Edinburgh.
Our registered charitable purposes are:
The advancement of health, the advancement of education, the advancement of citizenship and community development, and the relief of those in need, through:
- The provision of an effective network for voluntary health organisations; Working for sustainable improvements in health and social care services, health improvement and public health;
- Working to prevent, mitigate and reduce health inequalities, including through education and awareness-raising about the underlying causes of such inequalities, including poverty and discrimination;
- Supporting voluntary health organisations to improve their knowledge, understanding and skills to engage with health related priorities, policy, systems, personnel and partnerships;
- Promoting the voluntary health sector’s role, expertise and evidence to a wide audience
- Working to make effective collaboration and partnerships on health related matters between the public and voluntary health sectors normal and valued.
Briefings and Publications
All briefings and publications from VHS can be accessed and browsed on our website
Related resources
VHS Annual Report and Financial statement 2024
VHS Strategy 2025-2030
VHS Strategy 2022-2025
Manifesto for Health Creation
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
