Lisa SmithAndrew Moult

ContentsBackgroundWhat is a LINk?What a LINk can do / cannot doWalsall LINk – Set up

LINK Disability Sub groups – working together.

Under the legislation that establishes LINks (Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007), local authorities have been given £84 million in funding to support LINk activities between 2008 - 2011.

Each authority was expected to contract an organisation (known as a host) to set up and then run a LINk. Walsall LINk host is currently the Carers Federation.

It's up to each community, with the support of a host, to decide how they want their LINk to be run and what issues they want it to focus on.

What is a LINk?Government funded, Independent Organisation.

Looks at local Health and Social Care Services.

Individuals and community groups who work together to improve local services.

Their job is to find out what the public like and dislike about local health and social care services.

They will then work with the people who plan and run these services to improve them.

LINks also have powers to make sure changes happen.

What the LINk can do.Ask local people what they think about local health

and social care and suggest improvements.

Look into specific issues, make recommendations and get a response.

Ask for information and get answers in a specified amount of time.

Be able to carry out spot checks to see if services are working well.

Refer issues to the Overview and Scrutiny

Committee.

What the LINk cannot doThe LINk cannot take on a personal complaint.

The LINk cannot use anecdotal issues as fact based evidence.

The LINk cannot be used as a platform for unconstructive criticisms towards service providers.

Walsall LINk – Set UpBoard of 15 Members (all volunteers).

LINk Members / Participants.Community Groups / Individuals

Board Members are chairs to the working groups:

Management Groups – Finance, Governance...

Working Groups – Hospital Care, Health Inequalities, Disability, Mental Health, Social Care, GP services and more to come

All LINk meeting and events are open to everyone.

Building RelationshipsTo be effective, LINk need to form

strong and lasting relationships.

◦ Service Providers◦ Partnership Boards◦ Commissioners◦ Policy Makers◦ Community Groups◦ Watchdog Organisations◦ Scrutiny Panels

Working and linking together

Sub Groups The Disability Sub Group is made up of

the following working groups Mental Health working GroupLong Term Neurological working groupPhysical Disabilities working groupSensory DisabilitiesLearning Disability working group

Disability has no age restrictions

How it worksThe working groups will look at the

matters regarding Delivery, Operation and Quality of services

These will feed back to the main link board.

Working groups will meet regularyThe working groups will meet with a

membership of link members and volunteers from other sources from public sector, only link members will be allowed to conduct Enter & View after a successful CRB check, and receiving training.

Continued

Disability Sub Groups

Physical and Sensory Impairment Board, Mental Health Partnership Board

Learning Disability Partnership Board, Older Peoples Partnership Board

Council Overview & Scrutiny Committee's

Enter & View, Inspections at Health and Care facilities

Main Link Board

The FrameworkMain LINk board

Mental health Group

Neurological Group

Physical Disabilities

Group

Learning Disabilities

Group

Sensory Group

Impact and InfluenceMonitor & Challenge We require each of the partnership boards to

send to the Disability Sub Group their minutes and Agenda’s so that we can make any recommendations required.

We can also address issues that have not been completed, that are recommended by sub groups.

This way we have greater influence, effectiveness and efficiency creating greater impact at places like overview and scrutiny Committee’s.

Places to inform and communicate Overview & Scrutiny / CabinetPartnership BoardsSocial Care & Inclusion Departments inc

Older People, Physical Disabilities, Sensory Impairments

PCT for issues on service for Mental Health, Long term Neurological Conditions, and Rehabilitation.

We Are Asking youTo work with us as a partner to help make

services better qualityWe need your input on the sub groups as

experts If you would like to join the LINk sub groups

please give us your details so that we may contact you.

Thank You

Thank you for your time and patience and for listening and we look forward to working with

you!