Local Involvement Networks - LINks

Shaw Trust is the host organisation for 16 Local Involvement Networks (LINks) throughout England.

What is a LINk?

LINks are independent networks of individuals, local people, community groups and voluntary organisations who work together to improve the health and social care services in their area.

LINks are open to all. Anyone with an interest in health or social care services can get involved in the way that they want – whether it is receiving information, feeding issues into the LINk or actively participating in the work of the LINk and attending meetings.

LINks were set up by the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, and have powers to help monitor and influence the provision of health and social care services.

What do LINks do?

LINks take up issues raised by local people, and work with service providers and commissioners to make improvements to local NHS and social care services.

In order to best represent the interests of local people, LINks actively seek the views of the local community and are committed to being diverse, inclusive and ensuring that community involvement is accessible and convenient.

LINks have powers to:

Ask for information and get answers in a specified period of time
Carry out spot checks, when necessary, to see if services are working well
Make recommendations about how services can be improved and get a response
Refer issues further if it seems action is not being taken

LINks will always feed back outcomes from their work to the wider community, so that local people can see how their views have made a difference.

Examples of issues that LINks can work on include discharge from hospital, doctor’s surgery opening times, services in care homes, direct payments and seamless services between NHS and social care.

What is the role of a LINk host organisation?

A host organisation is contracted by the Local Authority (using funds provided by the Department of Health) to support and facilitate the activities and promotion of a LINk.

The host is responsible for recruiting LINk members and engaging with people and organisations to develop a group that is active, diverse and representative. In addition, the host manages all the administration of the LINk, including its finances.

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Local Involvement Networks - LINks

Shaw Trust is the host organisation for 16 Local Involvement Networks (LINks) throughout England.

What is a LINk?

What do LINks do?

What is the role of a LINk host organisation?

How can I find my local LINk?