Transcript Lucy Nicholls

Patient & Public Involvement:
From LINks to HealthWatch
Lucy Nicholls
Development Officer
Somerset Local Involvement Network
We’re bang on trend!
 Localism
 Big Society
 People-centred services
 ‘Nothing about me, without me’
What is a LINk?
Local
Involvement
Network
LINk
A short history of
“The independent patient voice”
1974
2003
Community
PPI
Health Councils
forums
2008
LINks
2012……?
Health
Watch
LINks….
• Facilitate public involvement and scrutiny
• Every local authority has to have one
• Funded by the Department of Health
What does the LINk do?
Volunteer based  Volunteer-led
Involvement
 Promotes involvement
 Engages with local people
 Facilitates involvement of
the public on boards and
forums
Listen
Investigate
&
Scrutiny
 Identifies problems
and gaps in services
 Holds services to account
 Ensures that views of the
public are used in
commissioning process
Monitor
Hold to account
Who is the LINk?
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Patients
Faith Groups
Older People
Frontline staff
Tenants' Groups
Community Groups
User groups
Black and minority ethnic
communities
Carers' networks
Patient groups
Patient Participation Groups
Individuals
Voluntary Groups
Rural communities
Neighbourhood groups
Children's groups
Transitory populations
….. etc….
“A network of
networks”
The future: Local HealthWatch
Clinical
Commissioning
Consortia
Health &
Wellbeing
Boards
Local
HealthWatch
PPGs
Voluntary
/ user-led
groups
Carers’
groups
Third
Sector
Patients
Local HealthWatch will :
Build on existing LINk functions :
 Be volunteer-led
 Gather views of local people
 Identifying problems and gaps in services
 Work with third sector, volunteer and user-led
organisations
Local HealthWatch will :
Include possible new functions :
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A role in information and choice? (PCT PALs?)
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Complaints advocacy responsibility from 2013 (currently ICAS)
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Escalate issues nationally through HealthWatch England
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Members on new commissioning boards:
 Clinical Commissioning Groups
Health & Wellbeing Boards
What can user-led organisations and
patients/carers offer commissioners?
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Independence from government or profit motive
Information about what is already working
Conversation with service users
Analysis of local needs
Support for public involvement
Ideas about how services could change / develop
Specialised knowledge and experience
Performance in delivering services
Public scrutiny
How can we do this?
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Keep an eye on developments
Put your stories in writing
Respond to group issues – make a noise
Be organised
Find resources and representatives
Make friends all over!
… and sign up to the LINk!
How can we help with a RNA?
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Practical support
Local information
Key contacts
Funding
Resources
Thank you!
Lucy Nicholls
Development Officer
Somerset Local Involvement Network
e: [email protected]
t: 01458 250 674
w: www.somersetlink.org.uk