Local Involvement Network (LINk)

Your Local Involvement Network (LINk) gives you the opportunity to influence your local health and care services. The Local Involvement Networks have been set up all across the country and anyone can get involved. It has been set up to make sure that people in Herefordshire get the health and social services they need.

The Herefordshire LINk wants to hear about your experiences of health and social services and your ideas and suggestions for improvements or changes. It has the power to implement small changes and influence big changes.

What is a LINk?

The LINk won't take over from the groups already working in and for the community, but will be a way of bringing people and groups together. Each LINk will be set up slightly different because it will be set up in a way that best suits the local community.

Herefordshire LINk will be shaped around the needs and interests of our community.

Herefordshire LINk will be a network of local people, organisations and groups that want to make health and social care services better.

Herefordshire LINk will give everyone in the community - from individuals to voluntary groups - the chance to say what they think about local health and social care services and tell us about their experiences.

The LINk will be a way of letting people who purchase, provide and manage your local services hear about what is working and what isn't, as well as suggesting ideas that could make services better.

Why get involved?

There are a number of benefits to becoming involved in Herefordshire's LINk, which include:

• Getting attention for neglected issues, ideas or suggestions
• Influencing those who make decisions about new or existing services
• Helping the community speak with a stronger local voice
• Helping services provide better care

What will Herefordshire LINk do?

The LINk will be involved with a wide range of issues and will carry out a variety of tasks and activities. The LINks' main job will be to:

• Give everyone the chance to say what they think about their local care services - what is working well and what is working not so good
• Give people a chance to check how care services are planned and run
• Feedback what people have said about services so that things can change for the better

How can you be involved?

Usually we only get involved when the issue directly affects us. If you only wish to get involved then, that's fine, approach the LINk and participate at the time, or you can be an active member of the LINk from the start. By becoming a member you can vote on the issues affecting Herefordshire LINk, including deciding the appropriate operational rules and priorities.

Who can join?

The LINk will be open to everyone and should represent the whole community. Groups, individuals and organisations all have a part to play. Groups, individuals and organisations all have a part to play giving their views about local services. Herefordshire LINk will be set up to make sure that all types of people that make up our local community have lots of different ways to join.

You don't have to become a 'Member' of the LINk to have your say. Many people only wish to become involved when an issue directly affects them. Herefordshire LINk means that local people can choose how and when they want to get involved. Sharing your views doesn't mean lots of meetings, and the LINk needs to hear about how you want it to work for you.

How much time will it take?

As much or as little as you like. There are many ways you can get involved. You can take a few minutes to answer a survey or take longer to represent the community when a health or social care service is being discussed with service providers.

What 'powers' will Herefordshire LINk have to do it's job?

The LINk will have certain powers so that it can help to improve local services. These will include:

• Making reports and recommendations and getting a reply within a set amount of time.
• Asking for information and getting a reply within a set amount of time
• Going in to some types of establishments to see what they do
• Telling Councillors on an Overview & Scrutiny Committee (OSC) what they have found and get a response, so matters can be investigated further if needed

Getting started

Contact the team leader on:
Telephone 01432 373605
Email : info@carersfederation.co.uk
Post: LINk Herefordshire, Rural Enterprise Centre, Vincent Carey Road, Rotherwas Industrial Estate, Hereford HR2 6FE