We realise that the best way to find out how well a service works is to ask the people who use it...
The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill has given power to Health and Social Care users to tell the Council and the NHS how to improve services in their area. This new arrangement for participation in Health and Social Care is called Local Involvement Networks (LINks). Thurrock LINks will work with the council and the NHS to:
The main aim of a LINk is to provide a stronger voice in the planning, design, commissioning (buying) of health and social care services for local people. It will be up to the LINk to decide how it will work and which services/issues to focus on.
If you are an existing Patient and Public Involvement Forum member, a member of the community, a voluntary agency, a Thurrock resident or an adult, child or young person involved in a social care/health user group you can get involved!
The Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations (CEMVO) who have been selected as the 'Host' organisation to support the Thurrock LINk. The CEMVO contract will start on the 1 October 2008.
National LINk information is available on the DirectGov web site:
www.direct.gov.uk/localinvolvementnetworks
Publications and bulletins are available to download from the Department of Health:
Information is also available from:
The NHS Centre for Involvement has begun the ongoing process of developing a set of guides to help people and organisations get involved in their Local Involvement Network. You can download these guides by following the link below:
The National Association of LINks Members (NALM) was formed on 1 April 2008 to bring together people experienced, expert and active in patient and public involvement. Information about the group is available on the NHS Networks site:
For more information contact:
Thurrock LINk
12c Queensgate centre
Orsett Road
Grays
RM17 5DF
