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Local Involvement Network (LINk)
Having your say on health and social care issues
Portsmouth's Local Involvement Network (LINk) is the new way Portsmouth people to have a say how services from local social care and health services are provided.
The LINk aims to provide more people with the opportunity to influence public services in ways that are relevant and meaningful to them, ensuring:
- communities have a stronger voice in the process of commissioning health and social care and making key decisions about local health and social care services
- both individuals as well as local user groups, and voluntary and community sector organisations are involved
- people’s views and experiences of health and social care services in their area are gathered and recommendations made to local commissioners and providers.
The city's LINk has a set of powers which enables members to:
- enter specified premises and view the services provided as well as collecting the views and experiences of users of health and social care services
- request information from service providers and receive a response within a specified timescale
- make reports and recommendations and receive a response within a specified timescale
- refer matters to the relevant the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee and receive a response from elected members
How are we making this happen in Portsmouth?
In Portsmouth a steering group has been meeting since April 2007 to help prepare plans for the LINk in the city.
The interim group is made up of people from former patient and public involvement forums, the hospital and primary care trusts, and staff from across the city council.
The city's interim LINk Development Group brings together representatives from the former patient and public involvement forums, voluntary and community sector, user and carer groups and interested individuals. Portsmouth's 'proper' LINk will start from September 2008, when a 'host' organisation is up and running.
Want more information?
To find out more, check out the weblinks below, visit the external websites linked on the right of this page or call the city's LINk Development Officers Mary Vallely and Lynda Jones in the Democratic & Community Engagement service on (023) 92 688557 or email us at links@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Associated documents:
Promotional Postcard (0.69 MB)
