What are Local Involvement Networks - LINks?
A LINk is a network of local people, organisations and groups that want to make care services better.
A LINk gives you the chance to say what you think and to suggest ideas to help improve services. They represent everyone. A LINk also works with care professionals to make sure your views are heard. There is a LINk in every Local Authority area that has social services responsibility.
LINks encourage and support local people to get involved in how local care services are planned and run. They listen to local people about their needs and about their experiences of services.
LINks look at all health and social care services in an area that are funded by taxpayers. It will not matter whether they are provided by the NHS, a local authority, a private company, a social enterprise or a charity.
LINks feedback this information to the people responsible for commissioning, providing, managing and checking up on health and social care services so that things can change for the better.
LINks have not taken over from groups that are already working for the community.
Instead, because LINks will bring together the whole community and will have certain statutory powers, they make it easier for groups and individuals to be heard. LINks around the country have the same powers and responsibilities, but each LINk will be is set up in a way that works best for its local community.
The job of a LINk is to:
- · Give everyone the chance to say what they think about their local care services – what is working well and what is not so good
- · Give people the chance to check how care services are planned and run
- · Feedback what people have said about services so that things can change for the better
Who can be involved?
Anyone can be part of LINk. A LINk represents everyone in the community. This means all of the different groups and types of people that make up the local population are able to join. They are also able to give people who do not usually have a say the chance to give their views.
LINks members include:
- Individual people
- Local voluntary and community sector organisations
- User-led organisations
You do not have to be a member of a LINk to get involved or have your say.
What powers do LINks have?
LINks have a range of powers so that they can say how local services should improve. They are able to:
- Make reports and recommendations and get a reply within 20 working days
- Ask for information and get a reply also within 20 working days
- Visit some types of services to see what they do
- Tell elected politicians on an Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) what they have found and get a response
- If necessary, report back to the Department of Health
What is happening in Shropshire?
In Shropshire a group of active and committed people have been working to develop the Shropshire LINk
.
They have decided to call themselves Community Involvement in Care and Health – the Shropshire LINk, abbreviated to CInCH.
They have developed the arrangements to manage the activities and make decisions, and are now offering opportunities to be involved for more people to join CInCH and take part in its work.
CInCH - the Shropshire LINk is supported by a host organisation that has been appointed by the Shropshire Council. The host organisation for the Shropshire LINk is the Carers Federation, who have experience of working with similar organisations and are supporting a number of Local Involvement Networks across the country.
Contact CInCH at info@cinch.org.uk or phone 01743 343 223.
Visit the Carer’s Federation website by following the link on this page.