DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release (2008/0040) issued by The Government News Network on 1
April 2008
New local
involvement networks to be established
Today will see the beginning of greater individual influence over
a larger number of local health and care services than ever
before, as the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health
Bill comes into force, enabling the establishment of Local
Involvement Networks (LINks).
LINKs will replace Patients' Forums as the representatives
of patient voices in the NHS. New LINks will be set-up in 150
Local Authority areas across the country, supported by £84 million
of central Government funding over the next three years.
Health Minister Ann Keen said,
"The reasons behind LINks are many but the main two are
simple - citizens have said they want more influence, and services
find it easier to provide better care if they know what the
community wants.
"LINks will be run by local people and local groups to give
communities a stronger voice and bring real accountability to the
whole system.
"When people tell care professionals what they think about
local services, it is easier for them to offer better care. If
LINks are going to work, they need local people and groups to get
involved and to use its powers to hold services to account."
The role of each network is to find out what citizens want from
local services to monitor and review the care they provide and to
tell care management what the community thinks.
To ensure that LINks can hold services to account, the Local
Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 gives LINks
certain powers - such as being able to enter and view services.
The same legislation will also abolish Patients' Forums,
which could not scrutinise care services funded by Local Authorities.
Each LINk will be independent of any Government organisation with
its own decision making process. It is unlikely that any single
network will be exactly the same. Each community will determine
how they want their LINk to operate and what local priorities will be.
Each authority is required to contract a 'host'
organisation to establish and support a LINk in the Local
Authority area. Local Authorities have until September 2008 to
ensure that an organisation is in place to set-up and run the LINk
for their area.
However, if a 'host' is not in place from the 1st
April, authorities remain under a legal duty to make sure that
LINks activities still take place by other means. We will be
monitoring the progress of authorities after April so we can
target those which need extra advice and support.
Notes to editors
Each Local Authority (with social services
responsibilities) will receive funding for a LINk.
The Government has made £84 million available to fund LINks
between 2008/9- 2010/11. The vast majority of this money (£27
million per year) will go directly to local authorities. The
amount allocated to each area has been calculated using a formula
that takes into account population size and factors such as levels
of deprivation.
Under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act
Patients' Forums will legally cease to exist on the 31st
March. Many Patients' Forum members were involved in planning
for the new system in addition to many additional individuals and
community groups. The same legislation enables LINks to be established.
The introduction of LINks is one of a number of initiatives being
introduced to strengthen the voice of people who use services. The
complaints process is being reformed to make it easier for people
to complain when things go wrong. A strengthened duty on the NHS
to involve patients in decisions about service changes will also
soon come into force.
What services do they cover?
A LINks' remit covers all
the state funded health and care services in an area, except
children's social services, which are covered by separate arrangements.
What powers do LINks have?
The Local Government and Public
Involvement in Health Act provides LINks with powers (similar to
Patients' Forums) to help carry out their role. Under the
legislation, certain duties are placed on commissioners and
providers of services.
A LINks representative can enter
specific services and view the care provided
LINks can ask
commissioners for information about services and expect a
response
LINks can make recommendations and expect a response
from commissioners
LINks can refer matters to the local
'Overview and Scrutiny Committee' for action
Who can get involved?
Anyone: carers, service users,
community leaders, patient representatives... everyone's
views matter. Groups can also join: charities, faith groups,
tenant organisations, youth councils, BME organisations and
business federations...anyone who wants to make sure the needs of
their community are listened to.
Further information about LINks is available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/links