Issue - decisions

Members considered a report which updated them on progress in establishing a LINk for the City of York Council area. The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act, had abolished Patients’ Forums and legislation to establish Local Involvement Networks from 1 April 2008. Local Authorities now had a duty to make contractual arrangements with a host organisation for the establishment of a LINk.

Nigel Burchell, Senior Policy Development Officer, reported that the City of York Council had worked closely with the North Yorkshire County Council in a joint procurement exercise to establish two LINks one for each local authority area. He confirmed that the process had now been completed and that the North Bank Forum had been appointed as the LINk for both York and North Yorkshire but as two separate contracts. He clarified that the authority had appointed the host organisation and that the Forum would now set up the link and perform a leadership role in overseeing its work. A detailed work plan would be prepared, by the end of April, showing how the Forum proposed to take this work forward. He confirmed that a number of public events would be held together with a one day free facilitated link event and that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be the key link with the Forum.

Kath Jones, Chief Officer, North Bank Forum, confirmed that the Forum were delighted to have been chosen by York as the host organisation to form a LINk. She explained that the North Bank Forum was a voluntary sector organisation, a registered charity, which had been in existence since 1992 with 300 member organisations. The forum had moved away from the narrow focus of health towards public involvement in social care. She confirmed that the Forum had previously acted for the PPI’s in 9 areas across Yorkshire and that their role was as a host to facilitate.

In answer to Members questions Kath confirmed that documents and information from the PPI’s would be fed into the new LINks and that wider public consultation would be undertaken which would include Neighbourhood Management structures. Members confirmed that another useful contact would be the Chapter 10 Group and that the knowledge of the individual members of the former PPI’s would also be useful to add to the Forums work.

The Chair thanked the speakers for their contributions and expressed the wish that the Committee, North Bank Forum and the various individuals could work together creatively to improve the health of residents in the area.

RESOLVED:             That the reports and updates from Nigel Burchell and Kath Jones of the North Bank Forum, the new LINk host, be received and noted.

REASON:                  In order to carry out their duty to promote the health needs of the people they represent.