Sefton LINk Annual Report 2009/10

Sefton Local Involvement

Network (LINk)

Annual Report April 2009 to March 2010

Sefton LINk Support is managed by Sefton Council for Voluntary Service 3rd Floor, Merseyside 3tc Centre, 16 Crosby Road North,

Waterloo, Liverpool, L22 0NY. Tel: (0151) 920 0726 Fax: (0151) 920 1036

email: [email protected] Registered Charity No. 102

Company Limited by Guarantee No. 2832920

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Contents: 1. Sefton LINk Steering Group & Structure 2. Sefton LINk Membership 3. Sefton LINk Activity 4. Impact of LINk Activities and Reports & Recommendations 5. Requests for Information 6. Referrals to Sefton Overview & Scrutiny Committees 7. Enter & View Activity & Authorised Individuals 8. Sefton LINk Accounts 9. Sefton LINk Support 10. Sefton LINk Website 11. Sefton LINk Contact Details 12. Useful Documents and Reports

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Sefton LINk Chair’s Welcome Introduction from Ann Bisbrown-Lee for the Sefton LINk Annual Report 2009/2010 We are very pleased to introduce this Sefton LINk Annual Report 2009/2010. During this year we have carried out a number of recruitment and awareness raising events. A main focus for Sefton LINk during 2009 was getting a 90 second promotional DVD filmed and holding 2 four day road shows in north and south Sefton. Over 900 local people were given the opportunity to find out more about the LINk and fill out a survey to share their views on local services seeing our membership increase to over 350 members. Our main focus with recruitment has been working with young people to find out how they would like to engage with the LINk and have their say on Health and Adult Social Care services. With Sefton LINk Support’s help we asked 70 young people to tell us how to engage with them. We are currently working with Sefton Young Advisors to set up a young persons peer group, the LINk agreeing to change its steering group structure to work with young people in a way that helps them engage. In addition we have increased our use of social networking sites. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are now used to engage with many people who want to engage with the LINk when it suits them. The LINk website www.seftonlink.org.uk has also been developed to make sure we know the latest Health and Adult Social Care news and that we know what work the LINk is doing in different areas.

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We have looked at a number of issues that you told us were important to you including; Hospital Discharge, Quality of local services, Mersey Care’s TIME project, Adult Social Care, the Ambulance Service, and Patient Safety. We have also set up a quick response team to help steering group members make decisions about what Sefton LINk gets involved in and a Mental Health Task group. We have had significant success with our work on improving the experience of discharge from hospital for local people and have influenced local stakeholders to listen to the views of patients and carers to get a discharge policy rewritten in one of the local acute trusts. One early contribution to Patient Safety was the agreement of NHS Sefton to place hooks for outdoor clothing on the outside of cubicle doors on Ward 35 at Aintree Hospital. This idea originated from seeing hooks on the outside of cubicle doors for visitors to hang outdoor clothes on to minimize the carrying of infections to the general population outside of hospitals in other Acute and Specialist Trusts. Another significant success is the LINk’s work in getting local people involved when it suits them, by using social networking sites, particularly Facebook. At the end of March 2009, we had 490 Facebook and Twitter members who receive the LINk’s weekly e-bulletin, quarterly newsletter and take part in online surveys and discussions.

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We have been building on our key relationships with stakeholders including NHS Sefton our local Primary Care Trust, Sefton Community Health Services, NHS and Specialist Trusts, Sefton Social Care and Well Being Directorate and the Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC). We have two Foundation Trust Governors, one at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Trust and The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust who liaise with other LINks across the country. Our next big challenges are; commissioning, further re-organisation of local provider services, our work on reviewing mental health services, working on Equality and Diversity issues, scrutinising the Transforming Social Care agenda and undertaking observational visits. We will be concentrating on these issues in the coming year along with any other issues which come forward from members or the community during the year. Please sign up for our regular e-bulletin/ newsletter if you would like to be kept informed of our work. To do this simply contact our local support team on 0151 920 0726 extension 203 or via [email protected]. We would like to thank all those hard working LINk participants and our key stakeholders who have helped to make a difference to health and adult social care services on behalf of our community. Finally a very big thank you to the members of the LINk support team who work tirelessly on our behalf, may they long continue! Ann M.K Bisbrown-Lee Chair

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1. Sefton LINk Steering Group & Structure Sefton LINk Structure Steering Group We currently have a Steering Group which consists of members who have been nominated and elected by the full membership in December 2009 and by members who have been Co-opted on to the Steering Group. The role of the Sefton LINk Steering Group is to represent the views of the wider membership, make decisions and act on behalf of the wider LINk membership. The LINk Steering Group is accountable to all LINk members and the residents of Sefton. The Steering Group currently meets every 6 weeks. The Steering Group members uphold the values of the Nolan Principles and comply fully with the Sefton Council for Voluntary Service Equality and Diversity Policy. The Steering Group consists of 20 members and has 2 categories:

10 Group Representatives 10 Individual Members

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The members of the Steering Group for 2009 -2010 are:- Current Steering Group Members:- Ann Bisbrown-Lee (Chair) (Individual/Elected) George Cureton (Sefton Carers Saturday Club /Elected) Lynne Godfrey (Individual/Co-opted) Barry Higgenbottom (Individual/Co-opted) Mike Homfray (Individual/Elected) Libby Kitt (Individual/Co-opted) George Loughlin (Making Space Sefton Carers Group/Elected) Ken Lowe (Individual/Elected) Robert McCracken (Individual/Co-opted) Barrie Morgan (Diabetes UK - South Sefton Diabetes Support/Co-opted) Arthur Roberts (Vice Chair) (Individual/Elected) Kiran Sharma (Save The Children/Co-opted) Colin Smith (Woodlands Hospice Charitable Trust/Co-opted) Laura Wills (Patient Involvement in Practice (Formby)/Co-opted) Previous Members of the Steering Group for year 2009 – 2010:- Roger Billingham Jenny Budd Lynn Burman Zoe Christie Terry Durrance Mike Holden John Lyon-Taylor Stephanie Penswick David Wong

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Task Groups The Steering Group has consulted with the LINk membership and has identified the following issues as priorities for Sefton LINk to consider. Task Groups have been established to review these issues. The Task Groups consist of interested members and have a “Champion” or “Spokesperson”, usually a Steering Group member. The Task Groups meet on a regular basis and report back to the Steering Group. Current Task Groups are:

Hospital Discharge for those patients with Social Care needs Task Group.

Service Quality Monitoring Task Group. Care Quality Commission Feedback Task Group. Adult Social Care Task Group. Mental Health Task Group. Sefton LINk Quick Response Team. Sefton LINk Visits Team. Ambulance Service Special Interest Group.

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2. Sefton LINk Membership We have 3 categories of LINk membership: General Members General members of LINk have the right to vote and participate in LINk activity (e.g. Task Groups membership, Consultations, Engagements or LINk representation). They can choose to receive information via email or by post. “E” Members E members choose to interact with Sefton LINk via social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. E members can participate in LINk activity (e.g. Task Groups, Consultations, Engagements or LINk representation) and receive weekly LINk updates. The recruitment of “E” Members only commenced in the year 2009 -2010. Friends Friends of Sefton LINk receive a quarterly update from Sefton LINk and will actively participate on issues of particular interest to them. Current Membership General Friends “E” Members Total 31st March 2009 110 23 nil 133 31st March 2010 350 59 490 899*

*As at 31st March 2010 we had 146 Group members and 263 Individual members. Our “E” members do not have a Group/Individual membership.

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Active Members We have 93 Active members who attend Steering Group meetings, Task Group meetings, are on the Visits team, represent Sefton LINk at other meetings, respond to consultations or attend meetings/events on behalf of the LINk. Health/Social Care Interests We currently estimate that 2/3rds of our membership are primarily concerned with Health issues and a 1/3rd are primarily interested in Social Care issues. Further research is being undertaken by the Sefton LINk Support team to confirm these figures. Equality & Diversity Sefton LINk adheres to the Sefton Council for Voluntary Service Equality & Diversity Policy. In accordance with this policy we ask new members to complete a Diversity Monitoring Form. These forms are anonymous and non mandatory. It is therefore not possible for us to compile precise Equality & Diversity data and the figures detailed below should be seen as a snapshot of the LINk membership based on the Equality & Diversity forms received to date.

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Total number of Equality and Diversity Forms received: 169 * Age 15 – 24 yr olds = 10 (6%) 25 – 44 yr olds = 38 (24%) 45 – 64 yr olds = 71 (44%) 65 yrs old + = 42 (26%) Gender Female = 104 (62%) Male = 65 (38%) Disability 56 (33%) of respondents would consider themselves has having a disability or impairment. Racial Origin Asian / Chinese = 2 (1%) Asian / Indian = 1 (1%) White / British = 146 (92%) White / European = 3 (2%) White / Irish = 2 (1%) White / Scottish = 1 (1%) White / Welsh = 3 (2%) Sexual Orientation Heterosexual = 147 (96%) Gay = 4 (3%) Bisexual = 1 (1%) Religion / Faith Christian = 114 (92%) Buddhist = 3 (2%) Other Religion/Faith = 7 (6%) *Please note that not all respondents completed all sections of the Equality and Diversity form

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3. Sefton LINk Activity Steering Group Meetings – 7 Task Group Meetings – 9 (This is the total for formal facilitated meetings. Additional activity takes place in informal sub group meetings and “virtual” meetings etc) We have regular representation at:

NHS Sefton Trust Board Meetings Mersey Care NHS Trust Board Meetings Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust Board Governors

Meetings Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust Board Meetings Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Board

Governor Meetings Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust Governors

Meetings Sefton Learning Disabilities Partnership Board Meetings Sefton Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meetings (Health

and Social Care) We have authorised LINk representatives to attend the following meetings:

NHS Sefton Governance Committee Integrated Care Sefton Out of Hours Contract Monitoring

Board NHS Sefton Children and Young Peoples Health Services in

North Sefton Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust Quality Committee Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust Patient

Experience Group Transforming Social Care Expert Stakeholder Panel Care Quality Commission LINks Advisory Group NHS Sefton Quality Board

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We have held meetings with other key partners during 2009 - 2010: Joint Merseyside Patients Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) Merseyside Joint LINks/Hosts Sefton CVS Health & Social Care Forum Sefton Young Advisors Regional LINks Network Community Visions During the year 2009 – 2010 LINk members & Sefton LINk Support staff attended 119 events/meetings to benefit the work of the LINk. The following is a small selection of the type of events/meetings attended throughout the year: Queens Road Neighbourhood Centre meeting – April 2009 Community Visions meeting – May 2009 408 Project meeting – May 2009 Volunteer’s Week event – June 2009 Sefton Single Equality Scheme Consultation event – June 2009 Future of Involvement National Conference – July 2009 Care Quality Commission consultation event – July 2009 Brookdale Resource Centre Promotion meeting – August 2009 Expert Stakeholder Panel meeting – September 2009 Dignity in Care debate – October 2009 Transforming Social Care briefing – October 2009 Health & Social Care Forum meeting – October 2009 Alder Hey New Scanner presentation - December 2009 NHS Sefton Long-Term Conditions focus group – January 2010 Care Quality Commission LINks Advisory Group – January 2010 HMP Kennet – January 2010 Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council Dignity Champions meeting – February 2010 NDirections & LITES – February 2010 Sefton Consultation Group for the Visually Impaired – March 2010

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Practice Based Commissioning. Practice Based Commissioning is a way of working that will give GP practices in England more control over which health services are delivered locally and how money is spent. Doctors from practices in Sefton have come together to form two groups. In the North of Sefton the group is called Southport and Formby Practice Based Commissioning Collaborative and in the South it’s South Sefton Practice Based Commissioning Confederation. The practices in each consortium are working together to develop new and better ways of providing services in the community. During this period Sefton LINk has been involved in some of this work. Towards the end of 2009, the LINk was involved in a piece of work which was reviewing the pathways for LUTS (Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms) in men and in re-advertising a community service. Sefton LINk was also asked for views on how the groups could ask patients about services they think would better suit them being in the community. Sefton LINk looks forward to working with the groups in both the North and South of Sefton over the coming year. Engaging with the Community We have hosted the following meetings and events for the LINk to inform and engage with members, Sefton residents and community groups:- Sefton LINk 2009 Annual Meeting - April 2009 North Sefton Care/Nursing Home Service Provider LINk Update Event – May 2009 Better Health Better Life Event – September 2009 Raising LINk Awareness Event, Bootle – September 2009 Raising LINk Awareness Event, Southport - September 2009 Hospital Discharge Event – November 2009 Care Quality Commission Public Open Forum Event – December 2009

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4. Reports & Recommendations The following Reports and Recommendations have been produced by Sefton LINk and are available from our website www.seftonlink.org.uk. We give below a brief description of the report and any outcomes that have taken place:

Sefton LINk Hospital Discharge Task Group – “Working with local Service Providers – What we found” Report: During March 2009 Sefton LINk published a research report on Sefton residents, patients and carers views of hospital discharge. This research drew together the views of Sefton residents to help clarify common areas. This information was put in to an action plan. This research showed communication between services and the patient as an issue of concern. Sefton LINk decided to talk to Service Providers about this issue.

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Recommendations: * Best practice and information to be shared across all partnerships. * A database of contacts including those from Health, Social Care and the Third Sector to be developed and updated. * A review of information given to patients on discharge to be undertaken. * Review the ways NHS Trusts/services involve patients/carers/care agencies in the patient journey. * To support all service providers in driving forward the “No wrong door” policy. * To encourage the development of the Single Assessment Process across Sefton. * To facilitate further events to look at outcomes of findings and practice. Outcomes: Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is drafting a new Hospital Discharge Policy to incorporate the findings from this report. This work will also be introduced at Southport & Ormskirk NHS Hospital Trust in the future.

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Sefton LINk Support – “How do young people want to be involved and engaged in having a say about Health and Adult Social Care Services? (A Pilot) – Have Your Say! Report: The research aimed to find out why young people traditionally have not been involved in volunteering their time to have their say on Health and Adult Social Care issues. The research aimed to find out why young people have not been involved and what would encourage them in the future. Recommendations:

The Sefton LINk steering group needs to consider the current representation on the steering group for youth representatives. Suggestions from the report include having a young person’s peer group and undertaking some inter- generational work to bridge any gaps which are present.

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Promotion of the LINk and how promotional materials

need to be produced which will attract both young people and other members of the community need to be considered and be put into places where young people convene. The work of the young advisors in ‘youth proofing’ the current leaflets and posters will also need to be taken into account in this work.

Methods of engagement need to be reviewed further to maximise the levels of involvement with Sefton LINk. The use of the website, Facebook, Twitter, email and text messaging should be reviewed as to how they are currently used and if anything could be changed to ensure that more people use these methods if they want to!

Training and support for volunteers working within the LINk network needs to be reviewed and it may be helpful for the LINk to draft a strategy for accessing training and finding out the training needs of its volunteers.

The issues which affect young people should be taken into account in the current and future work plans of the LINk to ensure that the issues are raised with the commissioners of services. (In sending this report to commissioners and key stakeholders, the issues should be considered in any current plan for service delivery and commissioning).

Outcomes: The Sefton LINk Steering Group have accepted these recommendations in full and have commissioned further work with Sefton Young Advisors to establish the most effective way of engaging with the young people of Sefton. This year’s Annual Meeting will reflect this priority and will focus on listening to young people’s views and issues.

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Sefton LINk Support – “Community Road shows 2009 – Southport” Report: This road show took place in Southport during September 2009 and gave 259 members of the public an opportunity to express their views on local health services. Recommendations: Those who responded generally thought that they received a good standard of quality care from Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust. Problems with travelling to Ormskirk and District General Hospital was an issue raised together with some concerns regarding waiting times at the Trust. Outcomes: Sefton LINk Steering Group are considering if any further work needs to be undertaken regarding this report and its contents will be made available to key partners.

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Community Road shows 2009 - Bootle Report: This road show took place in Bootle during September 2009 and gave 241 members of the public an opportunity to express their views on local health services. 73% (174) of people who responded had access to an NHS dentist. When asked about access to Maternity services or woman’s Health/Gynaecology services, 72% (113) of female respondents stated that they would access Liverpool Woman’s NHS Foundation Trust, 13% (20) accessing antenatal services at Liverpool Woman’s Aintree site with 10% (15) choosing Ormskirk & District General Hospital. Local people from Bootle also told Sefton LINk about problems with waiting times for appointments with both their general practitioners (GPs) and Dentists.

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Recommendations: Sefton LINk to consider how it monitors services provided from Liverpool Woman’s NHS Foundation Trust in the future to ensure that those residing in the south of the Borough are receiving quality services. Outcomes: Sefton LINk Steering Group are considering if any further work needs to be undertaken regarding this report and its contents will be made available to key partners.

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5. Requests for Information Sefton LINk has the right to request information from service providers and key partners and to receive this information within 20 working days. The following requests for information were made on behalf of Sefton LINk. The majority of our requests have been promptly responded to. Any request that has not been responded to within the 20 working day deadline has been formally noted below and, where appropriate, the Care Quality Commission informed as part of their formal assessment process of provider services.

NHS Sefton.

Date Nature of Request Received within 20 working

days.

Breach formally noted

14.05.2009 Information on Children and Young Peoples Health in North Sefton.

Yes

09.10.2009 Request for information to help Sefton LINk progress Hospital Discharge work plan.

No

Yes

03.11.2009 Request for information relating to PALS reports

Yes

06.11.2009 Request for outstanding information to help progress Hospital Discharge work plan

Yes

23.11.2009 Request for information on Old Swan Homeopathic Clinic

Yes

15.12.2009 Request for Patient Advice and Liaison Service report and information on the Podiatry Service.

Yes

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01.02.2010 Request for information on Homeopathy and consultation

Yes

18.02.2010 30.02.2010

Letter to 57 General Practitioner practices to request information on discharge summaries (Survey)

Ongoing

03.03.2010 Important Sefton LINk information and request for speaking rights at Trust Board meetings

Yes

31.03.2010 Update on Primary Mental Health services.

Yes

Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust.

Date Nature of Request Received within 20 working days.


17.09.2009 Request for reports from Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

No

Yes

02.10.2009 Patient Care Concerns

Yes

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06.11.2009 To inform trust of breach for information request: Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) report.

No

Yes

03.03.2010 To inform trust of second breach of information relating to request for report from Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

Yes


Yes

30.03.2010 Request for information given to Patients and Carers on Discharge.

Yes

Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.



16.11.2009 Request for information relating to themes in PALS report

Yes Yes

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03.03.2010 Important Sefton LINk information and request for speaking rights at Trust Board meetings.

Yes


Yes 30.03.2010

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust.



17.09.2009 Request for reports from Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

No Yes


Yes


Yes

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Yes

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust




Yes

20.10.2009 Information to help LINk understand PALS report.

Yes

03.12.2009 Request for information relating to themes in PALS report

Yes


Yes


Yes

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Mersey Care NHS Trust.



05.05.2009 Request for Hospital Discharge policy.

Yes

14.05.2009 Request for update on the TIME project.

Yes

17.09.2009 Request for report from Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

No Yes


No

Yes


Yes

05.03.2010 To inform Trust of second breach for information request – PALS report.

Yes

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North West Ambulance NHS Trust.




No Yes

06.11.2009 Request information about reported staff shortages in the trust

Yes


No

Yes


Yes

05.03.2010 To inform trust of second breach for information request

Yes

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Liverpool Heart and Chest NHS Foundation Trust




Yes

Liverpool Woman’s NHS Foundation Trust




Yes

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6. Referrals to Sefton Overview & Scrutiny Committee Sefton LINk has the power to refer issues to local Council Overview & Scrutiny Committees (OSCs). The relationship between LINks and OSCs is potentially a powerful one in the accountability framework for Health and Adult Social Care within Sefton. The key relationship for Sefton LINk is with Sefton OSC and we have developed a close working relationship with Sefton OSC and LINk members regularly attend OSC meetings. The Chair of Sefton OSC has also regularly attended LINks events. The Sefton LINk Support team have attended OSC meetings to give updates on the development and work of the LINk on behalf of members. We have worked closely with Sefton OSC around the concerns raised by local residents regarding the closure of the Old Swan Homeopathy Clinic to Sefton residents. We have also worked in partnership with the OSC on the Dementia Working Group and contributed to the OSC Dementia Working Group Final Report. There have been no formal referrals from Sefton LINk to Sefton OSC in the year 2009 – 2010.

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7. Enter & View Activity Under LINk Regulations members have the authority to enter and view premises which provide Health or Adult Social Care services commissioned by their Local Authority or their local NHS Primary Care Trust. For Sefton LINk this would be Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council and NHS Sefton. Any “Enter & View” activity should be related to the LINk Work Plan and must be conducted in accordance with LINk Regulations. To comply with the Regulations Sefton LINk has:

Recruited Sefton LINk members to form a “Visit Team” from which members will be selected to conduct visits on behalf of the Sefton LINk Steering Group.

Agreed a “Visits Code of Conduct” which closely follows the Code of Conduct drafted and recommended by the Department of Health.

Arranged for “Visit Panel” members to be Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checked for the purpose of undertaking visits.

Arranged for “Visit Panel” members to undertake training on how to conduct visits and how to comply with vulnerable adults alerter responsibilities.

Instructed Sefton LINk Support to act as “Authorising Authority” on behalf of Sefton LINk.

The following Sefton LINk members have been formally authorised to conduct visits on behalf of Sefton LINk in accordance with LINks Regulations and in compliance with the process noted above:-

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Ann Bisbrown-Lee Janine Clayton Lynne Godfrey Sandra Halford Lionel Johnson Sue Kearney Libby Kitt Ken Lowe Robert McCracken Barrie Morgan Kate Taylor Derek Thomas Laura Wills LINk 09 Event – A true open door policy. In May 2009, working in partnership with a local service provider, Sefton LINk co hosted the LINk 09 event at the Floral Hall in Southport. Over 150 independent Care/Nursing/Home service providers attended the event. We explained the statutory role of Sefton LINk in monitoring and scrutinising the services they provided and also the function and operation of the Visits Team. Attendees had the opportunity to take part in a question and answer session with LINk representatives. No formal LINks Visits took place during 2009 – 2010. Members of the Visits Team accepted an invitation from Eagles Rest Care Home in Southport to conduct a familiarisation visit at their premises, which the team members found very helpful and informative. A list of Health & Social Care premises to be formally visited during 2010 – 2011 has been agreed and formal visits will commence in July 2010.

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8. Sefton LINk Accounts Sefton LINk is funded by Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (Sefton MBC). Sefton MBC has contracted with Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (Sefton CVS) to act as Host for the Sefton LINk for a 3 year contract commencing 1st April 2008. The total budget allocated by Sefton MBC to Sefton CVS for 2009 – 2010 was £122,000 Sefton LINks spend for 2009 - 2010 was: Staffing - £90,666 Management Fee - £ 7,252 Rent - £ 5,400 Publicity - £ 4,204 Volunteer expenses - £ 2,836 Printing/Postage/Phones - £ 6,455 Meeting rooms hire - £ 1,371 Training - £ 188 Travel/Conferences - £ 1,184 Contingency - £ 1,949 Total - £121,505* *Under spend of £495 carried forward to 2010 – 2011 budget.

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9. Sefton LINk Support Sefton LINK Support (SLS) are part of Sefton Council for Voluntary Service and were appointed by Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council as the Host organisation for Sefton LINk in April 2008. The role of SLS is to support Sefton LINk in its development, promotion, recruitment and in carrying out its Work Plan activity. The SLS team is: Ian Ross – Project Manager Diane Blair - Outreach Officer Steve Penn – Administration & Information Officer During 2009 – 2010, in addition to supporting the LINk in promoting and developing its work plan, SLS carried out the following additional activity: * Provided 9 training /development opportunities to LINk members which were attended by 36 LINk members. * Supported 21 network/sub group meetings (In addition to 16 Steering Group/Task Group meetings). * Disseminated 93 engagement/information opportunities to LINk members. * Recruited an additional 240 General members, 36 Friends and 490 “E” members to Sefton LINk. * Produced and distributed 34 LINk Newsletters and LINk Bulletins to LINk members and the wider Sefton community. * Worked in partnership with Alder Hey Children’s NHS trust to distribute over 1600 Children’s Health Park consultation documents to local community organisations in Sefton.

“I have found Sefton LINk very supportive and willing to develop new partnerships” - Sefton LINk member

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10. Sefton LINk Website. Sefton LINk has continued to develop the Sefton LINk website which enables LINk members, key partners, Sefton residents and local groups and communities to access information, raise issues and concerns, take part in consultations and interact and influence the work of the LINk. The Sefton LINk website plays a vital role in connecting local organisations, networks and individuals to each other and to key partner organisations. Everyone is invited to look at the website and to get involved in the LINk work and future development. Let us know what you think of the site and any suggestions on how it can be improved. Sefton LINk website address is www.seftonlink.org.uk. Sefton LINk on Facebook Search ‘Sefton LINk’ http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1662281880 Sefton LINk on Twitter Follow ‘Sefton LINk http://twitter.com/SeftonLINk

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11. Sefton LINK Contact Details Sefton LINk c/o Sefton LINK Support 3rd Floor, Merseyside 3tc Centre 16 Crosby Road North Waterloo Liverpool L22 0NY Tel – 0151 920 0726 ext 203 Fax – 0151 920 1036 General Email – [email protected] Web – www.seftonlink.org.uk Ian Ross Tel - 0151 920 0726 ext 303 Mobile/Txt – 07505 004469 Email - [email protected] Diane Blair Tel - 0151 920 0726 ext 331 Mobile/Txt – 07854134118 Email - [email protected] Steven Penn Tel - 0151 920 0726 ext 203 Email - [email protected]

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12. Useful Documents & Reports This Annual Report refers to various documents and reports. These reports, along with others that may be of interest, are listed below and are available from the Sefton LINk website (www.seftonlink.org.uk) or by contacting the Sefton LINk Support team, who will be happy to assist in any way.

Visits Protocol Steering Group Meeting Notes Sefton LINk Work Plan Summary (2010 – 2011) Easy Read Version of LINks Explained Sefton LINK Hospital Discharge Group “Working with

local Service Providers – What we found” Community Roadshows 2009 – Survey Results How do young people want to be involved and engaged in

having a say about Sefton Health and Adult Social Care services – Have Your Say!

Sefton LINk Newsletters This report is available in different formats and languages. If you wish to have this report in a different format, or if you have any queries or comments on its content, then please contact the Sefton LINk Support team who will be happy to assist.

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Sefton LINk Support is managed by Sefton Council for Voluntary Service 3rd Floor, Merseyside 3tc Centre, 16 Crosby Road North,

Waterloo, Liverpool, L22 0NY. Tel: (0151) 920 0726 Fax: (0151) 920 1036

email: [email protected] Registered Charity No. 102

Company Limited by Guarantee No. 2832920