LINks - Local Involvement Networks
Local Involvement Networks (LINks) are a new initiative set up by the Department of Health to give local people a stronger voice in how their health and social care services are delivered. The role of the LINks is to find out what people want, monitor local services and to use their powers to hold services to account.
LINks are not a talking shop, they are a legal entity and have genuine powers such as to visit premises, receive written responses to health and social care queries within agreed timescales and to make recommendations to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
The Sheffield LINk
In Sheffield, the LINk shall be led by its members with strategic and operational support from Voluntary Action Sheffield (VAS).
LINks membership shall be open and accessible to everyone in Sheffield, including communities whose voices are seldom heard. A member does not have to be a current user of health and social care services
There are lots of ways that people can become involved in the Sheffield LINk depending on someone's interest and availability. This includes:
- Being involved in the running of the LINk
- Participation in special interest forums or task groups
- Involvement in consultations, surveys or research
- Accessing information about health and social care services
- Being kept informed of what the LINk is up to
- Proposing health and social care issues for the LINk to explore
For further information on LINKs or/and details on how to get involved please contact the LINks support team, who are here to assist the LINk. The team are as follows-
Azizzum Akhtar - LINk Coordinator- 0114 2536686, a.akhtar@vas.org.uk
Frances Haigh - LINk Administrator- 0114 2536690, f.haigh@vas.org.uk
Alexis Kilgarriff - LINk Development Officer- 0114 2536690, a.kilgarriff@vas.org.uk
Niklas Thoren - LINk Development Officer- 0114 2536689, n.thoren@vas.org.uk
Stephen Wright - LINk Development Officer- 0114 2536689, s.wright@vas.org.uk
Heather Hughes - LINk Communications & Information Officer - 0114 2536687, h.hughes@vas.org.uk
For general enquiries on the Sheffield LINk please use the contact details below:
Email info@sheffieldlinks.org.uk
Telephone 0114 2536690
Address LINks Support Team, VAS, The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield, S1 4FW