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Stronger voice and better care for patients

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH News Release (2008/0040) issued by The Government News Network on 1 April 2008

New local involvement networks to be established

Today will see the beginning of greater individual influence over a larger number of local health and care services than ever before, as the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill comes into force, enabling the establishment of Local Involvement Networks (LINks).

LINKs will replace Patients' Forums as the representatives of patient voices in the NHS. New LINks will be set-up in 150 Local Authority areas across the country, supported by £84 million of central Government funding over the next three years.

Health Minister Ann Keen said,

"The reasons behind LINks are many but the main two are simple - citizens have said they want more influence, and services find it easier to provide better care if they know what the community wants.

"LINks will be run by local people and local groups to give communities a stronger voice and bring real accountability to the whole system.

"When people tell care professionals what they think about local services, it is easier for them to offer better care. If LINks are going to work, they need local people and groups to get involved and to use its powers to hold services to account."

The role of each network is to find out what citizens want from local services to monitor and review the care they provide and to tell care management what the community thinks.

To ensure that LINks can hold services to account, the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 gives LINks certain powers - such as being able to enter and view services. The same legislation will also abolish Patients' Forums, which could not scrutinise care services funded by Local Authorities.

Each LINk will be independent of any Government organisation with its own decision making process. It is unlikely that any single network will be exactly the same. Each community will determine how they want their LINk to operate and what local priorities will be.

Each authority is required to contract a 'host' organisation to establish and support a LINk in the Local Authority area. Local Authorities have until September 2008 to ensure that an organisation is in place to set-up and run the LINk for their area.

However, if a 'host' is not in place from the 1st April, authorities remain under a legal duty to make sure that LINks activities still take place by other means. We will be monitoring the progress of authorities after April so we can target those which need extra advice and support.

Notes to editors
Each Local Authority (with social services responsibilities) will receive funding for a LINk.

The Government has made £84 million available to fund LINks between 2008/9- 2010/11. The vast majority of this money (£27 million per year) will go directly to local authorities. The amount allocated to each area has been calculated using a formula that takes into account population size and factors such as levels of deprivation.

Under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act Patients' Forums will legally cease to exist on the 31st March. Many Patients' Forum members were involved in planning for the new system in addition to many additional individuals and community groups. The same legislation enables LINks to be established.

The introduction of LINks is one of a number of initiatives being introduced to strengthen the voice of people who use services. The complaints process is being reformed to make it easier for people to complain when things go wrong. A strengthened duty on the NHS to involve patients in decisions about service changes will also soon come into force.

What services do they cover?
A LINks' remit covers all the state funded health and care services in an area, except children's social services, which are covered by separate arrangements.

What powers do LINks have?
The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act provides LINks with powers (similar to Patients' Forums) to help carry out their role. Under the legislation, certain duties are placed on commissioners and providers of services.
A LINks representative can enter specific services and view the care provided
LINks can ask commissioners for information about services and expect a response
LINks can make recommendations and expect a response from commissioners
LINks can refer matters to the local 'Overview and Scrutiny Committee' for action

Who can get involved?
Anyone: carers, service users, community leaders, patient representatives... everyone's views matter. Groups can also join: charities, faith groups, tenant organisations, youth councils, BME organisations and business federations...anyone who wants to make sure the needs of their community are listened to.

Further information about LINks is available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/links