Experts by Experience is an initiative by care quality commission and are people who have personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses health, mental health and/or social care services. The process involves going to other care homes and hospitals to see if there are any areas that could be improved or are really good.

We are pleased to say that one of the people we support has recently been taken on board. We asked him a few questions about the process and here’s what he had to say.

Question: what made you want to get involved?

‘I first got involved when the manager suggested I go to a meeting at the main office about the whole process ... I went along to see what it was about.’

Question: How was the process, what was hard and what was good?

‘The process was not an easy one. My support worker helped me a lot, I had to get a DBS, complete some online training and create myself an email address, she encouraged me to get all of the work done and helped me through it.’

Question: What are you looking forward to?

 ‘I’m looking forward to getting paid for my time, the manager has told me what I will be doing, I have to check my emails every day as the work will be sent through to my email and my support worker helps to remind me to do this.’