LINk is an initiative by the Department of Health to give local people a stronger voice in how their health and social care services are planned and delivered. The role of the LINk is to find out people's views and concerns and influence decision making
What is a LINk (Local Involvement Network?
LINks are networks of local people, organisations and groups that have been set up to make sure that health and social care services are planned and delivered to meet the needs of the people who use them. The role of a LINk is to find out what people like and dislike about local health and social care services and work with the people who plan and run them to make them better. A LINk will ask local people what they think of local health and social care services and give people a chance to suggest ideas directly to those who make decisions, look into specific issues of concern, ask for information about services and receive a response and carry out visits to services to see how they perform.
LINks have been been given powers to help carry out their role, including visiting premises, receiving written responses to health and social care queries within agreed timescales and making recommendations to the local Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Sheffield LINk
In Sheffield, the LINk is led by its members and hosted by Voluntary Action Sheffield, with a support team providing operational and strategic support. LINk membership is open and accessible to everyone in Sheffield, including communities whose voices are seldom heard. If you have a specific issue or concern then we want to hear from you! A member does not have to be a current user of health and social care services
There are lots of ways you can become involved in the Sheffield LINk depending on interest and availability. This includes:
- Being involved in the running of the LINk
- Proposing health and social care issues for the LINk to explore
- Participating in small groups looking into a specific issue or concern
- Taking part in consultations, surveys or research
- Accessing information about health and social care services
- Joining our mailing list to be kept informed of what the LINk is up to
For further information on Sheffield LINk, including details on how to get involved, please contact the LINk support team, using the contact details below:
Address: LINk Support Team, VAS, The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield, S1 4FW
Telephone: 0114 253 6690
Email: info@sheffieldlinks.org.uk
More information about LINks is available to the Department of Health website.
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