Acting Together - 'Experts by Experience'

The Acting Together programme enables people, who have at least 6 months personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses health, social care and/or mental health services, to take part in Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection activities and Mental Health Act visits. They are called ‘Experts by Experience’.  They accompany CQC inspectors and Mental Health Act Commissioners on visits where they talk to people who use services and their family carers. The Expert is then required to write a brief report which includes their findings and observations of the environment around them. This report is then used to support the inspector’s judgement on the service and can also be included in the inspection report.
Experts are recruited, trained and supported by a number of different voluntary sector organisations including Living Options Devon, who is your South West support partner for ChoiceSupport, the consortium lead. Experts are paid for the visits they do or they can act in a voluntary capacity.

Experts by Experience are expected to promote Equality, Diversity and Human Rights throughout their role. All Experts who take part in inspections are subject to a criminal records check.

Living Options Devon is currently hoping to recruit the following Experts from Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Avon, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly;         
          
·         People with Learning Disabilities / Autism
·         People with Physical and Sensory Impairments
·         People with experience of Detention under the Mental Health Act
·         People with Mental Ill Health


If you are interested in becoming an Expert by Experience in the South West area please complete the attached profile application form <http://www.livingoptions.org/uploads/documents/Expert%20By%20Experience%20Personal%20Profile%20LOD.doc>  and send it to Ian Curtis at Living Options Devon, Isca House, Haven Road, Exeter EX2 8DS   or contact the office on  01392 456528  for more information.

Closing date for completed application forms – 30th November 2011
 
Informal interviews will take place on 5th December 2011 in Exeter.