Local Involvement Networks (LINks)
The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) was established in January 2003 to set up and support Patients' Forums. This independent, non-departmental public body (NDPB) was abolished on the Monday 31st March 2008 when Patients' Forums were replaced by Local Involvement Networks (LINks).
Sometimes the people who use services don’t feel they have a strong enough voice to change aspects of their health or social care. The introductions of LINks is part of a wider process to help the community have a stronger local voice. A LINks role once it is up and running is to:- ask what local people what they think about local healthcare services and provide a chance to suggest ideas to help improve services
- investigate specific issues of concern to the community
- use its powers to hold services to account and get results
- ask for information and get an answer in a specified amount of time
- be able to carry out spot-checks to see if services are working well (carried out under safeguards)
- make reports and recommendations and receive a response
- refer issues to the local ‘Overview and Scrutiny Committee’
On Monday 1st September 2008 the Local Involvement Networks Amendment 2008 comes into force , to view the amendments - click here
(Photo; Hoshiar Singh, Jenny Scott, Bill McMabe & Emmerson Walgrove attending a LINks event at Westminister Centre Hall, London, 2007)
The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act, introduced in Parliament in December 2006, introduced a number of measures relating to local government and the involvement of local communities. The Act abolished Patients’ Forums and the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health. The Act also introduced Local Involvement Networks (LINks), strengthened the NHS duty to involve and put in place a new NHS duty to report.
On Thursday 2nd November 2006, the Health Select Committee announced that it would undertake an enquiry into Patient and Public Involvement in the NHS They published their report on Friday 20th April 2007 and the Department published its response to the Health Select Committee's report on Monday 11th June 2007.
Direction in exercise of powers conferred by the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
Direction in exercise of powers conferred by the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
From Tuesday 1st April 2008, Local Involvement Networks (LINks) will be established to find out what citizens want from local services, monitor and review the care they provide and to tell those who run and commission services what the community thinks. To help LINks carry out their role, the legislation establishing them gives LINks certain powers - such as being able to enter and view services under certain safeguards. This briefing explains more about LINks and the implications for independent providers of health and social care services.
Section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 (now S242 of the consolidated NHS Act 2006) places a duty on NHS trusts, Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities to make arrangements to involve and consult patients and the public in service planning and operation and in the development of proposals for changes.
- Code of Conduct
- Appendix 1 – LINs regulations 2008
- Appendix 2 – LINks entry regulations 2008
- Appendix 3 – Directions in respect of LINks
- Appendix 4 – Nolan Principles
The Department of Health response to the the draft regulations for Local Involvement Networks (LINks) published Wednesday 13th August 2008
The draft regulations set out how LINks’ powers would work in practice and the consultation asked a number of specific questions. The publication summarises the consultation results and the Governments response to the views expressed.
Bradford LINk
The Bradford and District Local Involvement Network support team, which supports individuals, groups and organisations that are part of the Bradford LINk.
The LINk team is (from left to right): Melvyn Newton, (Project Manager) Jim Kirkcaldy, (Research and Development Officer) Susan Moreland, (Development and Outreach worker) Lynn Leadbeatter (Research and Development Officer).
For further information about the Bradford LINk, click here
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