This Is Cheshire

Improving the Links

From the archive, first published Thursday 3rd Jan 2008.

Trafford Council is urging local people to get involved in the setting up of a Local Involvement Network (LINk) in the new year. This is part of a national scheme which will see LINks established to involve local people fully in the development of future health and social care services in their area.

The LINks will replace the current Patient and Public Involvement Forums. They'll have similar powers, but with wider scope to cover health services commissioned and provided by the NHS and social care service providers and social care services commissioned and/or provided by local authority social services departments. They're an important step forward in encouraging and promoting greater public involvement and accountability by and for people using the vast array of health and social care services.

The Trafford LINk will provide flexibility, allowing people, organisations and communities to get involved in ways that best suit them. This could be on line correspondence, small group meetings across the borough or more formal events, making it easier for people to remain involved and enthusiastic. By doing this and building on the work of the current forums, LINks will strengthen meaningful user involvement and participation.

Responsibility for developing and supporting the local Trafford LINk will fall to an organisation appointed by the council. Early work to appoint the 'host' organisation is currently underway in Trafford, with a project group already established, consisting of representatives from the council, health partners, the current Trafford Patient and Public Involvement Forum and the Diverse Trafford group.

To help groups and organisations who may feel they don't have the necessary experience or understanding of council procurement procedures to submit a tender for the role of host organisation, the council is organising a supplier briefing seminar. This is being held at Sale Waterside, on Tuesday, 15 January 2008. It will give the opportunity to find out more and get support, advice and guidance about tender submissions for council services. There will be plenty of people available to answer questions and offer advice.

Corporate Director of Customer and Corporate Services Emma Alexander said all the partners involved in setting up the Trafford LINk want to make sure that as many organisations as possible have the chance to tender.

"We're all committed to encouraging all potential groups and organisations to find out as much as possible about the responsibilities of being the local host organisation. But it's about more than that. We know there may be some organisations that could be strong candidates, but may be put off as they have never tendered for a council service before. We want to allay their concerns and support them. The supplier briefing seminar gives us the chance to do this. So I'd encourage organisations to come along and find out more," she said.

Individuals, groups and organisations who think they would like to get involved in helping shape our future health and social care services, are invited to a separate stakeholder information event. The event is being held at Sale Waterside on Monday, 28 January 2008 and promises to have lots of information, the opportunity for people to complete a questionnaire and have their voice heard.

For people who can't attend the meeting, by logging on to the council's website www.trafford.gov.uk they will be able to take part and make sure that their vision for how the Trafford LINk should be is considered with everyone else.

Ms Alexander said local people must be involved if future health and social care services are to meet their needs and expectations.

"We have already seen the real value and achievements that come from partnership working and, importantly the involvement of local people. Together we can make real improvements to the standard and way important services are provided. The setting up of these LINks give us a further opportunity to make sure local services are developed in a way that we need, expect and deserve.

"I would urge as many groups, organisations and local people as possible to take time to get to the stakeholders event. Together we can and will see a strong, Trafford LINk established locally next year which will help guide our actions and priorities for health and social care services in the future," she said.

Anyone wanting more information, including the times of either of these planned events, or the local Trafford LINk should contact Bernie Groucutt on 0161 912 1247 or e-mail bernie.groucutt@trafford.gov.uk or Elaine Fisher on 0161 912 1247 or e-mail elaine.fisher@trafford.gov.uk