The Manchester Local Involvement Network (LINk)

The Manchester Local Involvement Network or (LINk) is a new way for local people to have a say in how health and care services are run.

As you may be aware Patient & Public Involvement Forums (PPI) were abolished on March 31st and have been replaced by a Local Involvement Networks or LINks - the new system to support public involvement in health and social care.

There is a LINk in every local authority area which has social services responsibility, and their aim is to give communities a stronger voice in how their health and social care services are delivered. Local Involvement Networks will build on the work of the Forums but it is hoped that they will make it easier for people to get involved and talk to the people who plan and run health care and social care services.

The Manchester LINk is a network bringing together local people, organisations and groups who want to improve health and social care services in the city. It will provide the community with a mechanism for monitoring and reviewing local health and care services and will have the ability to hold service providers to account.

The LINk's main job will be to find out what people want by actively canvassing the community for their views and experiences of local health and care services, and to encourage more people to get involved with shaping their local services. To facilitate this process the LINk will allow for different methods and levels of involvement. The LINk will then ensure that this information is fed back to those who provide and commission the services to help bring about change in service planning and delivery.

Under the legislation LINks can:

• Ask commissioners for information and receive a response within a specified timescale
• Make reports and recommendations and receive responses in a specified timescale
• Refer matters to Overview and Scrutiny Committees and receive a response
• Enter and view specified types of premises and view the care provided

If you would like to join the Manchester LINk - and help make positive changes to health and social care services, or you would like be involved in some of its work, contact the Support Organisation at:

Tel: 0161 214 3909
Email: manchesterlink@blackhealthagency.org.uk
Website: www.manchesterlink.org.uk.