Sally Houghton-Wilson, Individual Carer Representative – Mental Health, tells us 3 reasons why she likes being a carer representative for mental health services:

1. It gives me the opportunity to learn how mental health services are managed and about changes that could happen.
2. The role gives us a voice for those people we care for and helps them share their views about what would help them. This is very important, especially when dealing with issues with patients’ relatives. It’s good to suggest different ways of working with them. 
3. And learning about organisations and ideas and information from other reps, also helps with the feelings of isolation that come with dealing with the people we care about and their, and our own, mental health.

The Powys Mental Health Planning and Development Partnership is recruiting for a new Mental Health Carer Representative to help shape Mental Health services in Powys at a strategic level.  The partnership is responsible for overseeing how the Welsh Government’s Together for Mental Health strategy is delivered in Powys and consists of all organisations involved in this delivery. ( E.g. Powys County Council, Powys Teaching Health Board, Dyfed-Powys Police). As an equal member of the partnership board you will help ensure that service users and car

ers have their voice heard in the decision making process around mental health provision in the county.

There are 4 partnership meetings each year, and there are other opportunities to take part in further sub-groups looking at specific areas of services. You would also gather views and experiences of other carers and service users at meetings so that you are actively representing the views of people from around Powys. This would be supported and facilitated by Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations.

If you would like to apply please contact thePAVO Mental Health Team by emailing mentalhealth@pavo.org.uk