1. LINks (Local Involvement Networks)

2. Outline Help and Care LINks and Host LINks and OSCs Establishing the LINk The LINk in action

3. Help and Care: a strong business with strong values Organisation (charity) working with local people and communities in the counties of: Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight... Working with local people and communities Established in 1985 Community Development Community Engagement Research PPI forums LINks Wide range of services and activities: volunteers, advocacy, housing services, hospital screening, carers support, befriending, strategy groups and networks, community leadership programme Independence & quality of life for individuals & communities Strong values: strong business

4. LINk and Host LINk = Network of local people and groups Gives people the chance to say what they think about local health and social care services Gives people the chance to review services Feeds back to care management what people have said about services so that things can change for the better Is independent of the NHS and the Local Authority Host organisation: Supports the LINk to do its work (The LINk decides what work it does and when)

5. Legislation Local Government and Public involvement in Health Act 2007: Abolished Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) and Patient and Public Involvement Forums (PPIFs) Places a duty on Local Authorities with social services responsibilities to make arrangements for LINks activities to be carried out from 1 April 2008 by appointing a Host Organisation to set up and support the LINk

6. Powers LINks have the power to: Enter specific types of services and view the care provided Ask for information and expect a response within 20 working days Make recommendations and expect a response within 20 working days Refer matters to the local Overview and Scrutiny Committee and expect a response with 20 working days

7. LINKs and OSCs LINks can refer matters relating to health and social care services to OSCs The committee must acknowledge receipt within 20 working days and keep the referrer informed of the committee’s actions OSCs must decide whether or not their powers are exercisable in relation to the referral and if they are, they must decide whether or not to exercise them. If it decides to exercise its powers, the OSC must have regard to information it has received from the LINk

8. Funding Grant from Government to each Local Authority with social services responsibilities Calculated using the “Relative Needs Formula” Funds available to Oxfordshire LINk: £200,700 per annum Equivalent to 32p per head of the population per annum

9. What is special about LINks? Creative - building on existing networks and partnerships Flexible – enabling different methods of participation, both from individuals and groups Powerful – having legal powers to require information from commissioners and providers of services, and to receive a response to comments

10. The Plan Develop compelling narrative Marketing Web space (www.makesachange. org.uk) Reach out. Engage. Recruit. Develop governance: Enabling Group Stewardship Group Agree work programme Training Develop relationship with Commissioners and Providers Report

11. The LINk will be known ‘on the High Street’ The LINk will be known ‘on the High Street’ The LINk will join people’s voices to tackle broader issues than they could on their own The LINk will join people’s voices to tackle broader issues than they could on their own The LINk is progressive, not obstructive The LINk is progressive, not obstructive The LINk will change things and be able to prove it The LINk will change things and be able to prove it The LINk will deal with real issues, not just the high profile ones The LINk will deal with real issues, not just the high profile ones The LINk will spend ALL its money on achieving change for local people The LINk will spend ALL its money on achieving change for local people The LINk is truly inclusive; everyone has a voice and the LINk will help people be heard in ways that suit them The LINk is truly inclusive; everyone has a voice and the LINk will help people be heard in ways that suit them The Vision

12. The Host Organisation for the Oxfordshire LINk: Help and Care The Pokesdown Centre 896 Christchurch Road Bournemouth BH7 6DL T: 0845 4500418 E: contact@helpandcare.org.uk W: www.helpandcare.org.uk

13. Yes, but how might a LINk actually work? Read on…

14. LINks in action: 1 Opening hours A number of people raise the issue of GP opening hours with a LINk. The local surgery says they want to open during the evening and at weekends but they have limited resources. The LINk offers to help the surgery find out the hours that will best suit local people. The LINk surveys the community and asks for their views. It also asks other LINks in other areas how they have dealt with the issue. The LINks research finds that those who work would prefer more early morning appointments, so they can see a GP but not be late for work. As a result, the surgery decides not to open one afternoon during the week so that they are able to open more early morning appointments. They also start a call-back service, so people can have quick telephone consultations.

15. Links in Action: 2 Helping to identify community needs Every three years, a PCT and a local authority review the health and social care needs of their local community to make sure that, in the future, they provide the right services. They are keen to ensure make sure that the community agrees with what their research has told them and that they have not missed anything. The local LINk plays a key role in helping the local authority and PCT understand the needs of their community. Through its network of local groups and individuals, the LINk is able to go out and discuss the plans with different sections of the community. Through this outreach approach, the LINk helps discover that access to health and social care is particularly difficult for older Asian women. The LINk is also able to help service commissioner’s identify, through discussions with the community, the most appropriate solution. As a result, the PCT and local authority plan to recruit a number of community development workers to target older Asian women.

16. LINks in action: 3 Cleanliness at a day centre A member of the public complains about the cleanliness at a local day-centre and care home for older people. The LINk, having received similar intelligence from other sources, conducts a community survey to find out if these concerns are more widely held. Deciding to look into the issue further, a spot check visit by a trained LINks representative finds that the service seems very unclean and staff say that things have got worse since a cleaning contractor started. The LINk asks the provider for any information about any complaints and whether cleanliness in the unit has affected anyone’s care. The LINk produces a report that makes a number of recommendations about improving the cleanliness of the service. The provider responds and says it will take action, however the issue continues to be raised about other services run by the organisation. The LINk asks the local Health Overview and Scrutiny committee to investigate and informs the Commission for Social Care Inspection.