The Lincolnshire Local Involvement Network (Link) Is an Independent Network of Voluntary
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LINk Presentation to PSIB
29th April 2010
Background
The Lincolnshire Local Involvement Network (LINk) is an independent network of Voluntary Sector Organisations, Community Groups and Individuals working together to improve Health and Social Care services in Lincolnshire.
Local Involvement Networks are a Government initiative, there are 150 across the Country, but they function independently and are not run or managed by any public body but supported by a host organisation which in Lincolnshire is the Shaw Trust. Decision making is undertaken by LINk members and the LINk is accountable only to the communities it serves and as such represents a truly bottom up approach to public involvement.
Introduction
The role of the LINk is to encourage and support more people to get involved in how local care services are planned and run, to find out what they like and dislike about the services available to them, understand what is working well and hear about what is not and to feed the views and recommendations of local people to those responsible for commissioning, providing, managing and inspecting those services then feedback outcomes of any work it undertakes to the community.
The aim of the Lincolnshire LINk since the appointment of its support team in November 2008 has been to raise awareness of the LINk to individuals, communities, the voluntary sector and statutory bodies. It has been working to develop a robust representative network and provide a well signposted pathway for those wishing to highlight their issues and concerns in regard to Health and Adult Social Care in Lincolnshire.
Community Engagement & Raising Public Awareness
Local Involvement Networks are expected to ask every section of the community for their views and experiences. Our community engagement strategy focuses on building relationships with groups and individuals, encouraging and supporting local people to get involved making it easy for people to share their views.
We are doing this by:
Ensuring that there is a LINk presence at local and regional events and displaying & providing LINk information (e.g.) World Mental Health Day, Learning Disability partnership event, Carers Awareness Days, Lincolnshire Parent Carers Council Conferences across the county, Voluntary Sector Networking Events throughout Lincolnshire, WI North Health and Wellbeing Event.
Attending and speaking at numerous community/patient/support groups meetings across Lincolnshire.
Holding regular LINk Outreach Events in a variety of public places such as Hospitals, Cafes, Community Access Points, Community Centres and Libraries.
Arranging and facilitating LINk led Multi Agency Events where, in addition to engaging with the LINk, the public can find out more about other agencies within the LINk network (e.g.) Community Policing Teams, ICAS, OASIS, Age Concern projects, LAPD. These are currently taking place currently in Boston, Spalding and NK and will then be evaluated with a view to facilitating similar events across the county.
Inviting the public to join our Open Meetings - this year we are holding our monthly LINk Executive meetings at locations across the county and encouraging the public to attend and tell us what matters to them.
Holding LINk Involvement Days to increase awareness, encourage greater involvement of the wider membership and generate new members. The first of these was on the 22nd February in Lincoln and was well attended and positively received by attendees. A further 3 events are planned for 2010.
Publishing Quarterly LINk Newsletters.
Using other technology to talk to a wider audience
(i.e.)LINk Website – and regular email bulletins updating people on LINk activity and the work of our partners and members.
The LINk remit is not only to amplify the views of more groups and individuals in the community but also to provide a platform to those who might not traditionally have their voice heard.
We are doing this by:
Linking in and building relationships with agencies already working with specific communities or areas.
Using a variety of methods to engage with those who do not traditionally get involved (e.g.) visiting ESOL groups, Factories & business employing migrant workers, Sure Start Centres etc.
The LINk also has the added advantage of having a Drug and Alcohol Service User Involvement Officer within the LINk support team so we are able to ensure the views of that particular hard to reach group are represented within the LINK. His remit is to encourage the active participation of people who, because they have used services, can bring their knowledge and experience to contribute to the design, planning, delivery and evaluation of services at a local, regional and national level. This includes all those affected by substance misuse, such as the individual user, their family, carers and friends.
Partnership Working
For this LINk to be effective is vitally important that we build positive, productive relationships with commissioners, providers and managers of local care services.
We are doing this by:
Working with Statutory bodies:
NHS Lincolnshire – Appreciative Inquiry
Care Quality Commission – Sharing of data
Local Authority – Quality Assessment Framework Working Group
Overview & Scrutiny Committees – Sharing work plans and reciprocal representation on committees.
Working with existing Networks,Partnerships and Boards:
Physical and Sensory Impairment Board
Lincolnshire Parents Carer Council
Lincolnshire Carers and Young Carers Partnership
Other LINks - North and NE Lincs, Nottingham and Newark, Other East Midlands LINks.
Independence Complaints Advocacy Service.
Work Plan
The LINk has a duty to ensure that its work plan is based on community evidence and reflects the priorities and needs of the communities which it represents. All the topics on the LINk work plan have come from communities across the county. The LINk also aims to provide a voice for Lincolnshire residents in National debates for example NHS Car Parking Consultation, NHS Constitution Consultation. We also recently ran our own local consultations around EMAS response times and access to health services for those with sensory impairment.
Working Groups have been developed to look at the following issues:
- Cardiac Services – Rehabilitation and Warfarin
- Access to translation - within Health Care Services for non English speakers.
These task and finish groups are made up of local people with knowledge or experience of that particular topic, patients, carers, service users, professionals working within that specific field, representatives from specific communities, and representatives from statutory bodies.
One example of how the LINk has successfully given a community a stronger voice is the recent issue of the JohnsonHospital in Spalding and its Palliative Care Suite. In this case the LINk was approached by the Local Hospice Foundation and supported them in voicing local concerns that the palliative care beds had not yet opened, gaining information relating to this issue and making NHS Lincolnshire aware of the strength of local feeling and concern over the lack of provision of this service. This culminated in the LINk Chairman being asked to officially open the Tulip Suite at the JohnsonHospital on Sunday 21st February 2010.
Conclusion
It makes sense that if people are given the confidence and opportunity to say what they want from local services and the ability to influence how they are run this will result in a better system.
The LINk is a great opportunity for us to work together to ensure local care services really do meet the needs of local people in Lincolnshire.
Contact Details
To find out more or get involved with your LINk
Phone01522 705190,
website
LINk/PSIB290410HE