About Us

EXPERIENCE

- a not for profit company limited by guarantee. Health Link staff and Committee members have many years experience of speaking up for patients and influencing the NHS. Health Link is a successor to London Health Link.

INNOVATION

- We work on new ways of linking up communities and the NHS, drawing in the views of 'marginalised' groups to give them influence, helping turn words into action for improved health and health services.

INDEPENDENCE

- Health Link works within the Compact, 'an agreement between government and the voluntary and community sector ...to work in partnership.' (www.thecompact.org.uk ). The Compact is overseen by the Compact Commissioner. The Government undertakes under the Compact 'to recognise and support the independence of the sector, including its right within the law, to campaign, to comment on Government policy, and to challenge that policy, irrespective of any funding relationship that might exist, and to determine and manage its own affairs.'

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

- According to the Social Enterprise Coalition: "A social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.' As a company limited by guarantee, we have no shareholders and are governed by a management committee made up of volunteer Directors.

COMMUNITY BENEFIT

- we have a volunteer programme offering volunteers three month placements to learn administrative skills. Our aim is to give them confidence and experience and the chance to practise IT skills. Since we started this programme earlier on in 2006, we have supported five volunteers and are expanding our programme in 2007. We hope to benefit the community by providing opportunities for practical experience of working in an office, improving employment prospects.