Friday 8 May 2009

Patients Forum Ambulance Services (London) and LONDON LINks Inaugural Meeting



At this meeting of the Patients’ Forum Ambulance Services (London) Ltd http://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/about_us/involving_our_community/patients_forum.aspx
, of which I am the Vice Chair, we will be discussing plans for the London Olympics and Paralympics by the London Ambulance Service. There will also be reports on the latest situation regarding the flu pandemic and the consultation for the London Ambulance Service to become a Foundation Trust. As London's only pan London patient and public involvement body, the meetings are usually very well attended by health activists from across the city. We also have leading speakers from the NHS and the London Ambulance Service.


News here also of the first meeting of the London Local Involvment Networks (LINks) the main public involvement bodies in the NHS next Thursday. This is a really excellent initiative and one that needs supporting.
Inaugural Meeting of LINk LONDON



Following the success of our first Annual General Meeting, National Association of LINks Members (NALM) are pleased to announce the inaugural meeting of LINk LONDON.



Thursday May 14th 6pm – 8pm

Conference Room

London Ambulance Service

220 Waterloo Road, SE1





Why do we need a London LINk (Local Involvement Network) ?



Some services - such as the London Ambulance Service - are provided across the capital, whilst many others, e.g. TB, stroke, trauma, haemophilia and HIV are or will be purchased jointly by PCTs across London. PCT’s and local authorities are now banding together to look for “improvements” and “savings” in how they design, deliver and pay for our services in London. PCTs have a duty to involve the public in the purchase of these and many other services.



London-wide commissioning requires London-wide public involvement. Ensuring there is public involvement in commissioning is an obligation for PCTs – and now is the time to develop LINks, so that service users can be involved in negotiating with PCTs to develop the best possible services for Londoners.



A key objective in forming LINk London is to act together to influence access and quality of health and social care services across London. LINks focus on local issues, but individual LINks acting alone cannot meet the growing need for pan-London public participation and involvement.



The sharing of skills and knowledge across a London LINks network, will mean stronger individual LINks for London and reduce duplication. Here are some examples of possible benefits:



• Training: with the Care Quality Commission on LINks response to the Annual Health Check



• Consultations: building the capacity to respond to pan-London consultations on services changes proposed by PCT’s, NHS London and local authorities.



• Specialist briefings for LINks members who want to want to be involved with the planning and development of services



• Promoting new and innovative ideas for health and social care services in London



• Joint monitoring of services provided by several PCTs or pan London





• Meeting with London’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees when they are working jointly on services changes.



• Publicity about major service changes and the hosting of joint LINk public consultation events.



• Research: promoting user led research to support LINks involved in negotiating with PCTs on the development of pan London services



No one LINk could achieve all this by acting alone.



If you support our vision of pan London, as well as local representation, please come to the inaugural meeting of LINk LONDON. This invitation is open to all LINk members



TELL ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED



LINk LONDON for Stronger LINks

<mailto:NALM2008@aol.com> NALM2008@aol.com – Tel: 07817505193 or 0207 275 7574

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