A NEW group comes into force next April which will give people and organisations a say in holding health and social care services to account.
The county’s health and adult social care scrutiny select committee has heard that LINk – Local Involvement Network – will replace the Patient and Public Involvement Forums.
The county council is gathering tenders from organisations wanting to host the LINk in Cheshire and the closing date is the end of this month.
“LINk will have important work,” said select committee chairman Bert Grange after the meeting.
“It will give everyone the chance to say what they think about their local health and social care services and whether they are working well.
“Work is still continuing to create the new organisation and a development group is chaired by Professor Roger Ellis from the University of Chester.”
Tim Mann, a county manager in Cheshire’s Community Services, said: “We have been working hard, given the tight timescales, gathering interest in the LINk.
“It will have a range of powers so that its members can say how local services should improve.
“These include asking for information and receiving a reply within a set period of time, visiting some health and social care premises to see what they do and if necessary referring issues to the county council’s health and adult social care scrutiny committee.”
Work will continue to prepare for the start of the LINk on 1 April 2008 and a consultation event will be held in the New Year.
