Hearing voices support group

In April 2017, Healthwatch Somerset visited the Hearing Voices Support Group in Taunton to introduce its work and gather feedback from people with lived experience of mental ill health. Discussions focused on the wider challenges people faced in accessing support, participating in their communities and maintaining their wellbeing.

Participants described difficulties finding employment, volunteering opportunities and appropriate support to help them access work. They also highlighted the impact of discrimination, transport costs and social isolation, alongside the importance of practical support when accessing services or attending groups for the first time. The report concluded that people often felt excluded because of their disability and lacked information about where to seek help. 

The findings were shared through Healthwatch Somerset's reporting processes to inform future engagement and service improvement work.