Local Involvement Network (LINk)

Your Local Involvement Network (LINk) gives you the opportunity to influence your local health and care services. Anyone can get involved, and it has been set up to make sure that people in your area get the health and social services they need.

Your LINk wants to hear about your experiences of health and social services and your ideas for improvements or changes. The LINk has the power to implement changes in your local services through how they are planned, designed and delivered.

What is a LINk?
LINks are made up of individuals and community groups who work together to improve local services. The job of a LINk is to find out what people think works well and not so well in their local services and work with the people who plan and run them to help make them better.  This may involve talking directly to health care professionals about a service that is not being offered or suggesting ways that an existing service could be made better.

LINks also have powers to help with the tasks and to make sure changes happen.
 
Why get involved?
There are a number of benefits to becoming involved in a LINk, which include:

• getting attention for neglected issues or ideas
• influencing those who make decisions about new or existing services
• helping the community speak with a stronger local voice
• helping services provide better care

Be part of a LINk
It's up to you how and when you get involved - you can just comment on issues when contacted or you can get more involved – by helping to raise awareness of an issue or by helping to find solutions (for example - meeting providers or being part of a working group).

Who can join?
Anyone: carers, service users, community leaders, patient representatives… everyone's views matter. Groups can also join: charities, faith groups, tenant organisations, youth councils, BME organisations and business federations… anyone who wants to make sure the needs of their community are listened to.

How much time will it take?
There are many ways you can get involved. You can take a few minutes to answer a survey or take longer to represent the community when a health or social care service is being discussed with service providers.

Getting involved
In Warrington the LINk is managed by Black Health Agency, an independent local voluntary agency.

Your LINk manager is Elaine Packer and she is assisted by Katie Lightfoot who is the information and development worker.

If you are interested in getting involved then please contact:
Black Health Agency (Warrington LINk)
The Gateway
85-101 Sankey Street
Warrington
WA1 1SR
Tel: (01925) 246892/3
Fax: (01925) 246899
E-mail: warringtonlink@blackhealthagency.org.uk

You can also visit the Warrington LINk website to find out more.

Useful websites:

Department of Health - Patient and public empowerment

NHS - The National Centre for Involvement

Last updated 06/03/2010 12:33:56

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