Haringey Health and Social Care LINk (Local Involvement Network)
Having your say about health and social care services
What is Haringey LINk?
We are a network of
- Local people like you
- Voluntary and community groups
What we do
- We find out what you think about local health and social care services - what you like, what you don’t like, your ideas to make things better
- Use what you say to work with the people who plan and run these services, to help make them better for you
- Help bring about changes to your local health and social care services - whether they are big or small
We are
- Inclusive, approachable and open to everyone
- As strong and influential as you make us
The more people that join the LINk - the stronger our voice and the greater our influence and power.
Who runs Haringey LINk?
- Your LINk is independent and is run by the people who belong to it, so join us if you want to be part of Haringey LINk
- Haringey Council has been given money to fund your LINk and has employed an organisation to advise and support it
- However it is up to your LINk to decide how the money is spent, how it is run and what priorities to concentrate on.
How to take part
Who can join?
- Any Haringey resident, service user, carer, community leader. Everyone’s views matter.
- Groups can also join – voluntary and community groups, residents’ associations, youth councils, business federations… anyone who wants to make sure that the needs of their community are listened to
- Each and everyone’s views will be taken seriously by us
Why you should join
- To point out poor performance, inadequate provision and neglected issues
- To directly influence those who make decisions about new or existing health and social care services
- To make sure the community has a stronger voice
- To check services provide better health and care for all
How much time will it take?
It is easy to take part and it is up to you how and when you do this
- You can just comment on issues when we contact you
- Or you can get more involved – by raising awareness of an issue
- Or by helping to find solutions (for example, by meeting providers or being part of a working group)
Taking part - it’s up to you how much and when
- Take a few minutes to answer a survey
- Attend an occasional meeting on an issue that interests you
- Get involved in an online group looking at a specific issue
- Become an ‘authorised representative’ who goes to services to see how they are run
- Join our Local Opinion Poll (LOP)
It’s easy to make your voice count – join us today
You can join online (external link) and also tell us your views (external link) .
Contact us:
Tel 020 8888 0579
Write Haringey Link, 14 Turnpike Lane, N8 0PT
Email brenda@haringeylink.org.uk
Future plans
LINks are changing to become local HealthWatch next year
This will make them stronger when they:
- Help patients and the public speak up about health and social care
- Help to shape the planning and delivery of health and social care services
- Provide, or signpost people to information about local health and care services
- Provide, or signpost advocacy for individuals making complaints about healthcare
- Help people to access and make choices about care
- These changes will be in a new law called the Health and Social Care Act
What happens in the run-up to the change?
- There will be a smooth changeover from LINks to Local HealthWatch
- LINks are talking to the Council, local Health Service, groups and people about what they want the new Local HealthWatch to be like
- HealthWatch starts in April 2013
What will be different?
- Move from influence to decision making through a seat on the Health and Well-being Board
- Help individuals as well as understand and present community views
- The ‘Citizens’Advice Bureau’ model for Health and Social Care
For further information on HealthWatch, see the Department of Health's 'What is HealthWatch' website (external link).
|Back to topContact details
The Haringey LINk office is at 14 Turnpike Lane, London, N8 0PT. The office is open to the public to drop in on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10am to 4pm, and by appointment on Wednesdays and Fridays.
You can join the LINk either via our website, or by emailing or phoning Brenda.
For enquiries, or to receive the fortnightly Haringey LINk E-Bulletin - please contact Brenda:
Tel 020 8888 0579
Email brenda@haringeylink.org.uk
Web Haringey LINk (external link)
Report it
