Local Involvement Networks and HealthWatch

Joining your local LINk (Local Involvement Network) now will help you to become involved in the new Local HealthWatch in England from July 2012.

These new independent health ‘consumer champion’ groups are set to become a key partner in health and social care decision making, at council and local level.

We need more of our supporters though to join LINks to have a widespread impact. Link members will be best placed to become part of Local HealthWatch from July 2012.

Local HealthWatch groups

Local HealthWatch groups will be created to develop the influencing role that LINks had in health care planning.

Local HealthWatch will:

• Provide a voice for patient views and feedback on health and social care services
• Influence local health and social care service commissioning by being represented on the authority Health and Wellbeing Board which will be set up
• Have powers of referral to alert HealthWatch England to poor performing service  providers which will then trigger a Care Quality Commission investigation
• Offer advocacy and support for people wanting to choose local health services
• Support patients to make complaints about the standard of service received

We want to see  as many people as possible at local authority level influencing health services to improve services for people with arthritis.

Talking to Arthritis Care’s Area Development Managers (covering the whole of England) will help give you the confidence to get involved in Local HealthWatch.  You can also download a list of key issues for people with arthritis that you might want to raise.

Can I join HealthWatch even if it’s not starting until July 2012?

An online forum is being set up by the future host organisation, the Care Quality Commission, for anyone interested in helping to develop Local HealthWatch.  You can find out more by visiting the Care Quality Commission website.