Local Involvement Networks (LINks) are being introduced to give people a greater say over health and social care services.

What is a Local Involvement Network (LINk)
A LINk will be a network of local people, organisations and groups, independent of local Councils, the Primary Care Trust and Health Trusts. Help and Care is the host organisation for LINks in Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset. 

Who can be involved in LINKs?

Anyone can. LINks should represent a cross section of the community. People who have an interest in the care of local residents. From hospital patients and regular users of care services, to carers and voluntary groups representing older people, neighbourhood networks…anyone who wants to see services improve.

What will LINks do?

Links will bring the whole community together and give everyone the chance to:

• say what THEY think about local health and social care services
• help make these services better.
  

How will LINks work?

LINks will :

• be new organisations working to improve services 
• listen to what people have to say about health and social care services in your area and tell councils and the NHS what has been discovered 
• recommend how to improve services locally

Councils and the NHS are legally obliged to give the LINk any information it asks for and to respond to any recommendations the LINk makes.

What will the benefit of LINks be?

By setting up LINks that work well and by making services better for everyone, the whole of our community will benefit. We will all see real progress.

To find out more about LINks

Log on to the Department of Health website

Contact:

LINks

Help and Care

The Pokesdown Centre

896 Christchurch Road

Bournemouth

BH7 6DL

Telephone:

0845 4500 418

Email:

contact@makesachange.org.uk

Website:

www.makesachange.org.uk