Agenda item

John Cunningham, Chair of Governors' Group LINk and Graham Hills, Director Kent and Medway Network Ltd will be in attendance for this item.

Mr J Fletcher and Mr R Kendall, Governors of Kent LINk and Mr G Hills, Director, Kent and Medway Networks Ltd were in attendance for this item.

(1)       The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted that Local Involvement Networks (LINks) were established in England from 1 April 2008 to give communities a stronger voice in how health and social care services are delivered.  As independent networks of local people and groups LINks will find out what people want, investigate issues and use their powers to hold services to account. 

(2)       The Committee noted that LINk had been operational in Kent since December 2008 and has powers to:-

(a)               obtain information from health and social care commissioners;

(b)               issue reports and make recommendations and expect a response within a laid down timeframe;

(c)               refer to the County Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees concerns with health and social care services; and

(d)               enter certain services and view the care provided.

(3)       Following a transitional phase from April 2008 which had been managed by Kent County Council, Kent and Medway Networks Ltd was awarded the contract to “host” the Kent LINk in July 2008.  The Kent LINk became a legal entity at its launch on 3 December 2008 when it endorsed its governance arrangements.  The LINk has recruited over 800 LINk participants.  At the first annual meeting of the LINk in May 2009 it approved its first annual report which was available to all Members of the Committee and also endorsed its work programme for 2009/2010 which was appended to the report before the Committee. 

(4)       In response to a question by Mrs Sergison, the Committee noted that the documents, following visits made by the former Patient and Public Involvement Forum representatives, had been kept and were available to the LINk as background information. 

(5)       Mr Daley asked that the issue of pain clinics be considered by the LINk as worthy of inclusion within their work programme at a future date. 

(6)       Mr Long said that he was pleased to welcome back the LINk and he hoped that the LINk would also assist the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in holding to account the Primary Care Trusts and more importantly the Strategic Health Authority.

(7)       Several Members asked questions on the piece of work on transport to hospitals identified by the LINk as one of its priorities for its work programme.

(8)       The Overview, Scrutiny and Localism Manager referred to a piece of work being lead by one of the Policy Managers within the County Council’s Corporate Policy Unit who was in discussion with the Primary Care Trusts regarding access to healthcare focussing on transport issues.  The Committee noted that the Policy Manager had been pleased that the LINk had included this in their work programme as one of their priorities.

(9)       The discussion which ensued sought greater clarification on who was taking the lead on this issue and how it could be drawn together.  It was recognised that the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee could play an important facilitating role with this piece of work.

(10)     RESOLVED that the work programme of the Local Involvement Network be welcomed and the HOSC look forward to receiving reports back from the Local Involvement Network as the programme continues.