From April 2008, Local Involvement Networks (LINks) will be the new way for people who live in Leicester to have a say how services from local social care and health services are provided. LINks will be made up of individuals, groups of people, community and voluntary organisations.
 
LINKs, are going to be set up in English local authorities with social care responsibilities.

 

In Leicester the LINk will be up and running by 31st December 2008 and a work programme developed. There will be a public meeting before the 31st March 2009.

 

The Department of Health is providing Leicester City Council to fund a ‘host’ agency to set-up and support the LINk to:

 

 

In Leicester the Carers Federation is the ‘host’ agency, which will set-up and support the LINk.

 

For information about the LINk and to take part please contact:

Carers Federation Ltd
Threadneedle House
27 Copdale Road
Leicester
LE5 4FG

Tel: 0116 273 6506
Mobile: 07739 237449

 

Before April 2008, in Leicester a ‘Getting Ready for LINks’ group has been meeting to help prepare for the LINK.
 
The group was made up of people from: Patient and Public Involvement Forums (PPIF), University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicestershire Partnership Trust, Primary Care Trust (PCT), East Midlands Ambulance Service, the Carers Federation, Leicester City Council, and Voluntary Action Leicester (VAL). 

The group has mapped forums within their organisations and are now working on the tendering process including the specification for the ‘host agency. The draft specification was consulted upon in December 2007. Comments were taken into consideration in the final specification.

 

In Leicester, a statutory reference group has been set up to support the ‘host’ agency  in developing the LINk with the Transitional LINk Group, which was set up in March 08.

 

This group will decide on initial LINk work priorities and which areas of work the Patient and Public Invovlement Forums (PPIF) have been doing will continue,  and support the ‘host’ agency to develop a wide LINk membership and network.

 

Representatives to the Transitional LINk Group where drawn from existing consultation groups used by social care and members of the current PPIFs, and VAL (in it’s role as Leicester’s umbrella organisation with the voluntary sector).  The group has a mission statement that outlines what the group will do.

 

There will be opportunities for organisations and groups to feed issues to the Transitional LINk group, which will look at how organisations and groups can feed issues to them whilst the full LINk is being established.

 

Organisations, groups and local people have the opportunity of being part of the full LINk and can contact the Carers Federation Ltd on 0116 273 6506, mobile: 07739 237449, Email leicesterLINks@carersfederation.co.uk for more information about how to become a member of the full LINks and for more information about the LINks. (Please see flyer)

 

The attached LINk participation form can also be completed and sent to the Carers Federation Ltd.

 

Anyone can become a member of a LINk and although there will be separate LINks for Leicester City, Leicestershire County Council and Rutland, the Department of Health guidance states that people can choose which LINk they join. 

 

A LINks stakeholder event for Patient and Public Involvement Forum members and voluntary and independent sector organisations, organised by the Carers Federation on behalf of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland PPIF took place in November 2007. 
 
For more information: