What is LINk? 
Tameside Local Involvement Network (LINk) is a network for local residents and voluntary and community groups. It has been set up to give people a chance to have a say in improving local health and social care services.
The LINk aims to allow every local resident to have a voice and comment on the services you receive. The Government gave the LINk real powers which means that the people who provide your local doctors and dentists, run your local hospital, control your local care homes, daycare centres and sheltered housing, all have to listen to what the LINk says and consult it when making any changes to your services. This gives local people real power to influence change at the highest level and help to improve services for everyone in Tameside.
LINk News
New publication informs patients and families what standards to expect from the regulation of their NHS hospital
 Following the introduction of a new law, all NHS hospitals in England must now be licensed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). To be licensed, hospitals must show that they are meeting new essential standards of quality and safety. Now CQC has published a leaflet which informs patients, their carers and families, what they can expect from the essential standards.
The leaflet can be read or downloaded from CQC’s website: www.cqc.org.uk
Independent Network Publishes Hospital Report
 In May 2010, over 90 people came to Ashton Town Hall to tell the LINk about their experiences of care at Tameside Hospital. The two hour event gave people a chance to share their experiences with each other and to talk about ideas for improving care. Whilst some people had positive stories to tell, it was inevitable that much of the talk would be about things that people were unhappy with.
The LINk’s hospital working group has analysed everything people said and come up with eight key recommendations:
Staffing
- Improvements in staffing levels and planning required by the Care Quality Commission (as a condition of Registration in April 2010) must be monitored for effectiveness.
Communication
- Where falls and accidents occur in the hospital these must always be recorded in patient notes and reported to relatives as well as recorded in statutory accident recording mechanisms. Referral to relevant clinicians must always take place following an accident or fall.
- * Patients and their families should be more effectively involved in decisions about their care.
Information
- * Every patient and their family should be given clear, accessible and effective information about their diagnosis, treatment and how they can manage their ongoing care.
Leadership
- Leadership at the highest levels within the hospital must be seen to drive improvements at the hospital and must take responsibility for engaging with the communities they serve.
- * Leadership at a ward/clinic level must focus on ensuring that all aspects of care are delivered consistently to all patients and that sufficient checks are made on patients most likely to need higher levels of care, especially at night.
Eating and Drinking
- The effectiveness of the hospital’s systems for ensuring that everyone gets sufficient food and drink should be reviewed.
Bathing and Toileting
- * All patients must have the help and support they need, when they need it, to meet their toileting and bathing needs. This should be consistent across all hospital areas including A&E, day surgery and wards.
The hospital has agreed to work with us to make sure that these turn into improved care for patients.
Copies of the report can be downloaded here:
 LINk Tameside Hospital Improvement Report - July 2010
LINk Tameside Hospital Improvement Summary Report
LINk Tameside Hospital Improvement Summary Report - large print
 Tameside LINk's Newsletter
The LINk has began producing a regular Newsletter to keep you updated on what progress is being made, how to get involved and health and social care information - new documents produced, changes in legislation etc. Here is the latest  LINkNews 3 - August-September 2010
Previous issues
LINkNews - issue 2 May-July 2010
LINkNews - Issue 1 January 2010
LINk audio news
We now have recorded an audio version the LINkNews. Listen to the latest Audio LINkNews.
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We need your help!
We’re looking for people who want to get involved with our main work areas this year. These are:
- Personalisation of adult social care
- Community Mental Health services
- Access to GP (Family Doctor) Services
- Access to NHS Dentists
- Improving Care at Tameside Hospital
If you have used these services in the last year or have views about how they should work in the future we want to hear from you.
There are different ways you can get involved. These range from being part of our main project group and coming to regular meetings through to coming to one off events and filling in questionnaires – as much or as little as you want. If you’re interested, please phone the LINk Team (0161 339 4985) or email tamesidelink@t3sc.org
Getting involved
For more information on getting involved with the Local Involvement Network see our Get involved page
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LINk Topic update
The latest LINK Topic update: LINk topic update - July 10
The topic update is based on information from Central Government about health and care issues they are working on at the moment. It is intended to help LINk Board members to keep informed of national developments and possibly to identify areas where the LINk should be working.
Here are the previous Topic updates:
LINk topic update - June 10
LINk topic update - April-May 2010
LINk topic update - March 10
LINk Topic update - February 10
LINk Topic update - January 10
LINk Topic update - December 09
LINk November 09 Topic update
LINk Topic update - October 09
LINk Topic update - September 09
 LINk Topic update - August 09
What is LINk currently working on?
See the LINk work plan page for the work the network will be carrying forward.
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Want to find out more?
You will be hearing a lot more about the LINk project through T3SC’s quarterly Newsletter, and Monthly E-Bulletin and we are also setting up a LINk E-News. Subscribe here to LINk E-News.
For more information see our Publications page
Get the latest health and social care news direct from the providers on our Useful other news page
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