DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release (2007/0232) issued by The Government News Network on 8
August 2007
Minister calls on
NHS and local government to help empower patients
New minister for patient empowerment, Ann Keen, has called on the
NHS and local government to give more people a greater say over
local health and social care services.
Launching two new resources to help both the NHS and local
authorities prepare for replacement of the current system of
patient forums with Local Involvement Networks (LINks) next year,
Health Minister Ann Keen, said:
"Services get better when they listen to the people that use
them and respond to what they want. We know that the vast majority
of people think that having a say in local health and social
services is important, but we need more people to take an active
role. For this to happen, getting involved must be simple and convenient.
"We will be engaging widely with local communities as part
of the NHS Next Stage Review, and LINks are an important part in
making sure that local people continue to play a central role in
the design of local services."
Although existing patient forums have helped to improve health
and social care services in some areas, the new independent LINks
will simplify and strengthen the current system because they will
have the power to hold NHS and social care commissioners to
account. They will also be able to refer issues to local authority
overview and scrutiny committees who can investigate and take
action, such as summoning NHS managers for questionning, if required.
The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill
currently going through Parliament includes proposals to
streamline and modernise the current system by replacing just
under 400 patient forums with 150 LINks, which are expected to
become operational from April 2008. To help local authorities
prepare for this change, two 'Getting ready for LINks'
resources have been developed by the Department of Health.
LINks have several advantages:
- They will be truly representative of their local population and
will provide more ways of collecting and amplifying the views of
the whole community;
- Instead of only monitoring health services, LINks will be able
to look at all the health and social care services in a specific
geographical area - whether they are run (or funded) by local
government or the NHS;
- Like patient forums, LINks will be independently run and supported;
- With the power to refer services to scrutiny committees, LINks
will bring real local accountability to the whole system, from the
commissioning of services to front-line care; and
- LINks will provide a one-stop-shop for those who want to have
their say, providing a platform for both individuals and community organisations.
Ann Keen continued:
"LINks have the potential to benefit everyone who uses
health and social care services - whether by making it easy for
people to share their views on services, or by giving them the
opportunity to represent their communities. It will also be easier
for councils and the NHS to engage with the often complex networks
of patient activists, voluntary and community groups by helping
local organisations to speak with one voice and have a real
influence over key decisions.
"Local government must get planning underway now to avoid
losing existing local expertise and to help the new LINks realise
their full potential. I also urge the voluntary sector to get
involved by sharing their experience."
Notes to Editors
The first resource, 'Planning your Local Involvement
Network', is a document that incorporates the findings from
nine LINks 'early adopter' sites. It sets out how local
communities can prepare for LINks, such as the list of actions
that local councils need to take, details of who needs to be
involved in their establishment, and the resources required.
The second publication 'Contracting a host organisation for
your Local Involvement Network' gives local authorities the
information they need to procure a host organisation that will
establish and support a LINk. It includes information about the
services a host will be required to provide and a guide to the
process for establishing a network.
The NHS Centre for Involvement has a unique role in the Early
Adopter Projects as it has been leading on sharing the learning
from these projects. The Centre has also been responsible for
documenting examples of approaches and activities and has
identified barriers to the successful growth and impact of the
pilot LINks. Further information is at: http://www.nhscentreforinvolvement/what'snew/]
Both 'Getting ready for LINks' resources can be
downloaded by visiting http://www.dh.gov.uk/patientpublicinvolvement
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