Health and Social Care

Barking and Dagenham Local Involvement Network (LINk)

A stronger voice for local people

In October 2007, the government introduced a new statutory framework for patient and public involvement in health and adult social care. At the heart of the new system are Local Involvement Networks (LINks).

What is a LINk?

Your LINk gives you the opportunity to influence your local health and social care services. Anyone can get involved, and LINks have been set up to make sure that local people get the health and social care services they need.

Barking and Dagenham LINk wants to hear about your experiences of health and social services and your ideas for improvements or changes. LINks have the power to implement small changes and influence big changes. LINks also have the power to request and receive information from commissioners and service providers, and hold services to account.

LINks are made up of individuals and community groups who work together to improve local services. The job of a LINk is to find out what people like and dislike about local services and work with the people who plan and run them to help make them better.

This may involve talking directly to health care professionals about a service that is not being offered or suggesting ways that an existing service could be made better.

LINks are supported and operate through a host organisation. The host for Barking and Dagenham LINks is the Centre for Independent, Integrated and Inclusive Living (CIIIL).

Get involved?

Anyone can join in the activities of LINk, and help influence the way that it works and the issues it works on.

Members or participants can include voluntary organisations and groups, service users, carers and members of the public … anyone who wants to make sure the needs of their needs or that of local communities are listened to. You do not need to live or work in an area to join that LINk.

It's up to you how and when you get involved - you can just comment on issues when contacted or you can get more involved - by helping to raise awareness of an issue or by helping to find solutions (for example - meeting providers or being part of a working group).

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

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

How can I get involved?

There are many ways you can get involved, and how much time you commit is up to you, this can range from just a few minutes to comment on an issue or you can get more involved to represent the community. You can opt in and out to suit your needs and circumstances.

Some ways you can get involved are:

Influencing how local health and social care services are planned and delivered, this could include just completing a survey or attending meetings
Volunteering, this could include general office support, helping out at events, or getting more involved by being part of a task or sub group
Become a service assessor, this means you could enter some premises to view the care and service provided and feedback your experience
Give us feedback on how we are doing

Barking and Dagenham LINks website|