Sheffield Local Involvement Network

I have now finished my 8-week placement at Sheffield LINk, I would like to thank the support team and LINk members for all their help in answering my questions and helping me settle into the project. During my placement I’ve had the chance to attend most of the committees and groups that the LINk runs to understand its work. I have also been to some external fairs (see picture), the information stall at Castle Market and other events where I have talked to the public about Sheffield LINk and their views on health and social care in Sheffield. I was pleased to discover that most people are happy with the services they receive – a relief, as my normal job is being an NHS manager.

I have used my time at LINk to find out more about the services that matter to the people of Sheffield. In particular, I have looked into Equipment and Adaptations for adults in Sheffield. This included doing desk research, analysing the survey, running a focus group and culminated in writing a report for the Equipment and Adaptations Action Group (EAAG). Through this work I have learnt about the local social care system – something I was not really aware of before coming to Sheffield LINk. I have also been involved in running the Big Care Debate, which gave me the chance to learn about how social care is funded and what we may expect in the future.

My report is currently being finalised by the EAAG and Governing Board before being sent to providers and published on the website. It recommends that providers focus on making the service more accessible, reducing waiting times for assessments and think about the future of the service. The EAAG will follow up on the response to the report and keep LINk members informed.

Thank you to everyone at Sheffield LINk for making this placement an enjoyable time. I will be returning to the NHS with a better understanding of service user needs and the influence that voluntary agencies, such as LINk, can have on health and social care providers.