Where does the LINk get its funding from?

The LINk gets it funding from Central Government. The funding is given to Coventry City Council who in turn passes it to the LINk host organisation. There was an open tendering round in 2008 and Voluntary Action Coventry won the contract to be the LINk Host organisation.

What is the structure of the LINk?

The Local Government and Public Involvement Act 2007 said that each LINk should be set up to meet local needs and to be adaptable to the needs of its members. Therefore each LINk will be set up in a different way. Coventry LINk has consulted on its structure and the Interim Steering Group considered how the LINk should be set up to best serve people in Coventry.

Coventry LINk will be made up of:

• A Steering Group - the elected strategic governing group that makes sure LINk works well, and follows its polices and prioritises as necessary
• Theme/working groups - practical groups made up of volunteers who do work to look at how services could be improved or planned for the future
• Members - who sign up to receive LINk information and get involved as little or as much as they like (members do not need to volunteer on working groups)
• Other people will particpate in LINk work, such as surveys, sometimes anonymously

There are plenty of other organisations like the LINk already, why should I get involved?

Coventry LINk has not been established to replace the work of other similar groups, user groups and organisations. LINk will work to be a network of networks working in partnerhsip with others, setting up channels of communication to magnify voices and work to improve services. What is different about the LINk, however, is that is a legal entity, established by Parliament, with key powers, and funding. The LINk is also independent of any other organisation.

What powers does the LINk have?

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 gave all LINks the following powers:

• The right to request information from health and social care commissioners and expect to receive it within a specific amount of time;
• The right to carry out visits to NHS and some social care services in an appropriate and safe manner to see if services are meeting the needs of local people;
• The right to make recommendations for change and expect a response to these;
• The right to refer issues to local council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees if it seems service providers are not taking action.

All LINks are also given the opportunity to provide feedback on local health and social care provisions to the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of NHS and social care services throughout England.