Monday, 03 December 2007
Our realworld LINks Safari begins
Readers may or may not have enjoyed our hyperbolic and anthropomorphising references to LINks in previous postings. But now we exchange the image for the reality with the following announcement.
"Wandsworth Care Alliance (WCA) supported by the Moore Adamson Craig Partnership (M-A-C), a public involvement consultancy, has submitted an expression of interest to Wandsworth Council to be the host body for the Local Involvement Network (LINk) to be established in early 2008. WCA and MAC are combining their complementary skills and expertise in the tendering process. If WCA is successful, it will commission M-A-C Partnership to help it deliver the LINk Host function for Wandsworth."
We were then pleased to hear that the London Borough of Wandsworth had notified the Wandsworth Care Alliance that they will receive a formal invitation to tender for the LINks Host work in the Borough. The WCA Expression of Interest included the active involvement of M-A-C in the provision of the LINk Host services. M-A-C will be working with WCA on the formal tender which has to be submitted by 30 January as we propose to provide the LINk Host services as a joint venture with the Alliance.
We are pleased to be associated with such a credible local organisation whose experience in user involvement in the Borough is well known and highly respected.
Wandsworth seems to be ahead of the game in already going out to tender with a very detailed specification which has been significantly influenced by the consultation they have held with local groups and those involved with the Patient and Public Involvement Forums which will make way for the new LINks. As well as the LINks Host functions which are common across the country, the Wandsworth contract will also include the existing networking activities with user groups carried out already by the WCA.
We now await publication of the final Specification which should confirm the level of funding for this contract. This will be a challenging new way of involving users of the full range of health and social services and it is crucial that the Host role is properly funded and carried out by a body with appropriate expertise and local knowledge.