LINks
| Published: 30th September 2008 12:56 |
Barking and Dagenham LINks
Your Voice, Community Led, Championing Engagement, Making a Difference
Are Local Health and Social Care Services meeting your needs?
Are they accessible and flexible?
Are they providing the service you need?
Do you want to be able to have a say and influence how your local Health and Social Care services are developed, run and monitored? Then join the LINks.
Local Improvement Networks (LINks) are being set up to give local communities a stronger voice in their Health and Social Care Services, including how they are run and delivered.
People are being offered more choice in the services they receive and who provides them. Services are also working more closely together and listening to people more about their needs and expectations.
LINks are part of the Local Government and Public Health Act, which received Royal Assent in October 2007. Under this Act the Patients Forums were to be abolished from March 2008 and LINks would be established from April 2008.
The main role of LINks will be to:
- encourage and support greater involvement in shaping Health and Social Care services
- actively canvas all sections of the community for their views and experiences
- provide a mechanism for monitoring, reviewing and holding local services to account
- inform those who commission and scrutinise health and social care services
In order for LINks to be effective and be able to "hold to account" local services, and influence how they are run, LINks have been granted specific powers in law to ensure that local communities are not only listened to, but their views taken on board and considered.
LINks will have the powers to:
- enter specified types of premises and view the care and services provided
- ask commissioners for information and recieve a response within a specified timescale
- make reports and recommendationsto a care provider and recieve a reponse within a specified timescale
- refer matters to the local Overview and Scrutiny Committee and receive a response within a specified timescale
The LINks will also report annually to the Secretary of State
Barking & Dagenham LINks:
The LINks in Barking and Dagenham is being hosted by the Centre for Independent, Integrated and Inclusive Living (CIIIL). The host is responsible for ensuring that the LINks is supported in carrying out its duties and functions. An initial steering group has been established to develop governance issues, and plan and oversee the engagement of the local community on issues that matter to them.
Over the next few months the LINks will be:
- developing Governance issues
- promoting LINks and its aims, powers and duties to the community and other stakeholders
- develop membership and various mechanisms for levels of engagement
- develop mechanisms to ensure that the feedback and issues of the community are listened to and acted upon
The LINks is there to represent everyone in the community. Anyone who lives or works in Barking and Dagenham can be part of the LINks. The LINks aim to be flexible so that you can decide on what issues are important to you, and you can be involved either on a regular or ad-hoc basis, whichever suits your needs. We want you to be involved in and have the opportunity to shape your local health and social care services.
To join, just complete a membership form, either as an individual or as an organisation. You can download these forms below. Once completed, please send the form to the address on it. You can also download these forms from the LINks website shown below.
Click here to download an Individual Membership Form
Click here to download an Organisation Membership Form
To find out more, please contact LINks by:
Phone: 020 8215 9670 / 9671
Email: enquiries@barkinganddagenham links.co.uk
Website: http://www.barkinganddagenhamlinks.co.uk/
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