Local Involvement Networks (LINks)
The information on these web pages explains how we prepared for the Local Involvement Network (LINk) in Walsall and how you can get involved.
Introduction
In April 2008, the Government replaced Patient Forums with Local Involvement Networks (LINks).
LINks have been introduced to help strengthen the system that enables communities to influence the health care and social care services they receive.
Backed up by certain powers, LINks will:
- provide everyone in the community – from individuals to voluntary groups - with the chance to say what they think about local health and social care services – what is working and what is not.
- give people the chance to influence how services are planned and run.
- feedback to services what people have said about services so that things can be improved.
The role of LINks
- Promoting, and supporting, the involvement of people in the commissioning, provision and scrutiny of local care services
- Obtaining the views of people about their needs for, and their experiences of, local care services
- Enabling people to monitor and review the commissioning and provision of care services
- Conveying people’s views to organisations responsible for commissioning, providing, managing, and scrutinising local care services and recommending how services can be improved
The powers of LINks
LINks will have specific powers to enable them to influence the improvement of local services, these include:
- enter specified types of premises and view the services provided
- request information and receive a response within a specified timescale
- make reports and recommendations and receive a response within a specified timescale
- refer matters to an Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) and receive a response.
Contact us
Melvyn Davies
LINk Manager
Neighbourhood Partnerships and Programmes
Challenge Building
Hatherton Street
Walsall WS1 1YB
Telephone 01922 652279
Mobile 07824 441574
Fax 01922 653373
E-mail links@walsall.gov.uk