Page 39 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • April 2011 39

Swindon Citizens Advice
Bureau needs you
Swindon CAB urgently
requires more volunteer
advisers and administrators
to help meet the ever increasing
demand on its services.
For details call 618781 ext 0
or mail: manager.swindoncab
@cabnet.org.uk
Closing date Monday 4 April
How are NHS and
social care changes
affecting you?
With the separation of functions
of the Swindon Primary Care Trust
and a whole raft of other changes,
Jo Osorio, development officer
for Local Involvement Network
(LINk), has it right when he says:
“these are complicated times.”
LINk, the Swindon based in-
dependent network for involving
local people in health and adult
social care planning, is arranging
an open meeting in May to explain
and debate the changes.
They would also like to hear from
people now about the effects these
changes are having.
Jo explained, “the changes to
the NHS and social care services
are extremely complicated, even
controversial. Locally they include
the separation of the functions of
Primary Care Trust, or NHS Swin-
don as it is increasingly known.
“The development of personal
budgets for social and some health
care services will increasingly give
people the opportunity - and put
the onus on them - to manage their
own care.
“Swindon LINk will develop into
Healthwatch Swindon by April
2012 but the changes will be incre-
mental. There will be opportunities
for people to get involved and have
some influence on what services
are commissioned and how they
are provided.”
To comment on how the changes
in health and social care are affecting
you, and for details of the LINk open
meeting in May, mail: jo.osorio@
vas-swindon.org or call 497777.
www.swindonlink.org
Gardens wanted

West Swindon Open Gardens
will be once again taking place in
aid of Breakthrough Breast Can-
cer this summer, over Father’s
Day weekend: 18 & 19 June.
Organiser Lesley Dredge is look-
ing for gardeners in the Shaw/
Nine Elms/Peatmoor area willing
to show off their talents. If you’re
willing to open up, mail her at:
[email protected]

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