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Community care minister Stephen Ladyman has announced that a new body will be responsible for reviewing the strategic agreement between the Department of Health, the NHS and the voluntary sector.

The National Strategic Partnership Forum will be made up of 25 members, including Barnardo's and Age Concern England, and will start work in April. It will be responsible for looking at how to raise awareness of workforce issues, offering greater choice for users and giving better value for public resources.

Ladyman said: "The forum will provide members with the opportunity to influence departmental policy on the delivery of services."