Islington LINk Annual Report 2009-2010 Improving health and social care Easy Read booklet 1. What is Islington LINk? LINk stands for Local Involvement Network. There are LINks all over England. Islington LINk is independent. We are not run by Islington Council or NHS Islington. LINk is a way for local people to make local health services and social services better. The law says that we must do this by: Finding out what local people think, Reporting this to the people in charge of local services, Giving local people the chance to check local services,
Helping local people to make decisions about local services. 2. Who we are LINk is a group of local volunteers. Volunteer Someone who works for free. Better Care Everyone who joins LINk wants to make local health services and social services better. Any local person can join LINk. They can be an individual, such as a service user, or carer. Or someone from a local group, such as a religious group, or youth group. Page 2
A LINk member: Gets a newsletter every two months, Is the first to hear about LINk events and activities, Can vote in LINk elections every March. LINk members tell us what they think about local health and social services. LINk respects and listens to everyone. LINk members can also join a smaller LINk group to look at services. Would you like to join Islington LINk? Would you like us to talk to your group about LINK? Get in touch! Our contact information is on the back page. Page 3
3. How LINk works 20 LINk members run the LINk. They are called the Core Group. LINk members choose Core Group members by voting in an election held in March every year. Then the Core Group members vote for a Chair and Vice Chairs. This is what the Core Group does: Listens to local people, Decides what work the LINk is going to do, Writes a plan saying what the LINk will do, Checks the LINk s budget. Page 4
4. What we did this year We set up groups to look at things you said are important. Leaving hospital project We spoke to lots of local people to find out how they feel when they leave hospital. LINk members went on special training so they could do this work really well. Page 5
The LINk wrote a report to tell local hospitals how to help people feel better when they leave hospital. Enter and View project LINk has the right to visit any health service or social service that is paid for by the local council. We talk to people using the service to find out what they think about it. LINk members had special training so that they can visit services next year. Page 6
Alternative medicines project We talked to patients who go to the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine to use alternative medicine. Alternative medicine Treatments that are not traditional medicine. The group wrote a report about patients views and is talking to NHS Islington about this report. Making care homes better project A group organised an event to talk to people about how to make care homes better in Islington. Page 7
5. What we are going to do next year The LINk Core Group wrote a work plan based on what local people told LINk. You said My doctor is good but it is hard to get an appointment. We will set up a group to go to GP practices and ask people what they think about visiting their GP. You said: My housing makes me feel unwell. We will set up a group to talk to people about where we live and our health.. Page 8
6. Our money We get our money from the Department of Health, which is run by the government. The money Islington LINk gets is based on the number of: People who live here, People who are poor, People from different backgrounds. Between April 2009 and March 2010 Islington LINk cost 33,000 (Thirty three thousand pounds). Voluntary Action Islington (VAI) runs the office that helps the LINk do its work. Between April 2009 and March 2010 this cost 108,000 (One hundred and eight thousand pounds). Page 9
Form to join Islington LINk Do you want to join Islington LINk? Please fill in this form and return it to us. We can help you to fill out the form. About you Your name Name of the organisation you work for (you can leave this blank) Your address Your postcode Your email address @ Page 10
Your telephone number Please tick the box next to the services that interest you the most. Primary care this includes local health services such as doctors, dentists and podiatrists (who look after your feet). Secondary care this includes hospitals. Community services or social services. This includes meals on wheels, and people who help you in your home such as care assistants or the district nurse. Care homes and nursing homes Page 11
Emergency services ambulance service Services for: Children & young people Older people Carers Disabled People People with learning difficulties People with mental health issues Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Other (please write in below) All the information you give us will be kept safe and secure. Please tick this box if LINk can give your details to other LINk members. Page 12
Get in touch Islington LINk is supported by Voluntary Action Islington (VAI). You can write to us at: Voluntary Action Islington 200a Pentonville Road London N1 9JP Freepost RSEX-KHAA-ZERG You do not need to put a stamp on the envelope. You can call us on 020 7832 5814 You can email us at: LINk@vai.org.uk You can find out about LINk on the internet at: www.islingtonlink.org Page 13
Do you want Islington LINk to visit your organisation to talk about a health or social services issue? Please contact us. Do you want this report in a different format or language? Please let us know. These Easy Read images are from the Valuing People ClipArt Collection produced by Inspired Services. Thank you to all our members and partners for all their hard work over the last year. Page 14