LINks create opportunities for people who use services to give their views about their experiences to health and social care providers. This can’t happen if people don’t know about LINks or why they should get involved.
Why being involved is important
LINks make it easier for people who commission and manage health and social care services to find out what the people they care for want.
Health and social care providers have limited resources. It can be hard for them to prioritise improving people's experience. LINks ensure that the experience of people who use services is prioritised by helping them to express their views about their health and social care. For this to work, as many people as possible need to join LINks.
Talking to people who use services
Health and social care professionals and support workers are encouraged to talk to the people they look after and to recommend they take part in LINks. By encouraging people to join a LINk, health and social care providers can communicate with the people whose thoughts and opinions they need to know.
It's important that people's opinions are communicated because:
- Care gets better when professionals find out and respond to people's needs.
- LINks provide a single organisation for health and social care services to use to involve communities.
- LINks help health and social care providers to understand people’s views, so that they can consider these when planning and developing services. This helps to ensure that services are as good as they can be.
- LINks help those working in health and social care, such as councils and care providers, to access a range of views.
