What’s Happening Next

What's happening next...

Annual General Meeting

County Durham LINk will be holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday 28 September 2010 from 1pm to 4pm at the Xcel Centre, Long Tens Way, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6AP.

There will be a chance to network with other members at the beginning of the event with lunch (buffet style) provided and the formal AGM proceedings will begin at 2pm. This will then be followed by a workshop session focussing on the White Paper 'Equality and Excellence: Liberating the NHS' published in July.

Part of the proposals announced in the White Paper focussed on the establishment of a new national health and social care consumer champion called HealthWatch and to evolve LINks into local HealthWatch organisations. For further information please read the article below.

If you wish to attend then please register your attendance as soon as possible by returning the registration form to host@pcp.uk.net or County Durham LINk, Pioneering Care Centre, Carers Way, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 4SF.

If you are unable to attend the AGM and have any comments on the “Establishing HealthWatch” document then please send these back to us by 10th September so that we can collate this information for the AGM.

HealthWatch

Liberating the NHS’ is the new governments’ white paper which announces their plans to set up an independent champion for health and social care consumers called HealthWatch England. Local Involvement Networks (LINks) will become local HealthWatch organizations.

The white paper sets out plans to put the people who use services at the heart of care by strengthening the voice of both individuals and the public. Consumers will be empowered to challenge and intervene. Whilst good progress has been made in some area’s this is far from the norm for every service. There is a clear need to go further with a strong system of national and local engagement that builds on the networks established with LINk’s. In just this last year, LINk’s alone have involved around 50,000 people and organizations and achieved around 300 service improvements. Liberating the NHS gives a clear commitment to build on these efforts but additionally, gives individuals the opportunity to make their views known nationally.

The government believes the impact of LINk’s would be even greater if their role and powers were clearer, and there was a national voice for health consumers. LINk’s will evolve into local HealthWatch, the consumer champions for patients and communities. Local Health Watch will provide a powerful new voice for patient participation groups and other consumer groups that join them.

To find out more about HealthWatch please read the two documents below released by the Department of Health.

White Paper: 'Equality and Excellence: Liberating the NHS'

'Equality and Excellence: Liberating the NHS': Establish HealthWatch

LINk Members Information Day

County Durham LINk would like to invite you to a LINk Members’ Information day on Monday 11th October 2010 at St Catherine’s Community Centre, 6 South Street, Crook, DL15 8NE (which is in Crook market place) starting at 2pm. The following presentations will be given:

2.00pm - Durham County Council – Commissioning Services in Social Care
3.15pm - NHS County Durham – The Monitoring Process

Please contact Julia on 01325 327431 or julia.catherall@pcp.uk.net if you would like to attend.

Recruitment Drive (Ongoing)

Membership now stands at 378, but members you can help by spreading the word to family and friends.

LINk County Durham