Where in Cornwall can I;

• share my views and experiences of local health and social care services?
• be listened to by those who plan, run and regulate local health and social care services?
• contribute to activities which will make recommendations on the way in which health and social care service are run?

...HERE.

By being a part of LINk [Local Involvement Network] in Cornwall you can help build a representative voice for Cornwall that seeks to inform, develop and improve local health and social care services.

SHORTCUT: Registration Forms and 'A Guide to Ways in which you can be Involved in LINk' are available for download in the second box on the right.

If you find that you can not open the Registration Forms, please let us know and we can send you hard copies

The job of LINk in Cornwall is to listen to and reflect peoples views and experiences of local services and to work collaboratively with the people who plan and run them to help make them more effective and improve delivery.

LINk is open to anyone who is:

• an individual living in Cornwall who is aged 16 or over
• a user of a service in the county
• a representative of a voluntary / community group, service user group or other relevant organisation operating in Cornwall

LINk will work in a number of ways. It will:

1. Talk directly to health and social care professionals about a service that is not being offered or suggesting ways that an existing service could be improved.
2. Research specific issues of concern to the community and make recommendations to the people who plan and run services
3. Ask for information about services from commissioners and providers
4. Carry out spot checks on services that are publicly funded to see if they are working well
5. Refer issues to Cornwall County Councils Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee [HASCOSC].

Registering with LINk means that you can contribute to LINk in a way which suits you. You can:

• ask to be kept informed of LINk activities, attend open meetings and feed in your thoughts on health and social care services
• become more actively involved and be part of a LINk Theme Group and/or Task Group

You can read in more detail about how you can get involved and register with us by completing and returning the Registration Forms available for download in the second box on the right.

In April 2008 CRCC was successful in becoming the independent 'Host Organisation' for LINk in Cornwall. As the Host, CRCC has been contracted by Cornwall County Council to establish, advise and support LINk.

LINk's are being set up to build on the successes of the Patient and Public Involvement Forums and replace them with a way in which will strengthen and broaden the opportunities for local people to share their views and experiences of both health and social care services.

LINks are funded by the Department of Health and commissioned through each Local Authority area in England.

For Department of Health information on LINks, including easy read versions go to:
www.dh.gov.uk/patientpublicinvolvement
www.nhscentreforinvolvement.nhs.uk

LINk Newsletters
LINk in Cornwall Newsletter Summer 2008 (457 KB Download) Cornwall LINk Newsletter Spring 2008 (225 KB Download)

LINk in Cornwall Events

17th September LINk Meeting

September 17th 2008 - Presentation slides (383 KB Download)

13 June LINk event

Presentation Slides (88 KB Download)

Cornwall LINk 13 June 2008 Meeting Notes (39 KB Download)

22 May LINk event

Presentation Slides (112 KB Download)

Further Presentation slides (63 KB Download)

Cornwall LINk 22 May 2008 Meeting Notes (31 KB Download)