Adult social care and support

Get involved in a local disability group

Including mental health, older people, carers, learning disability, autism, veterans, physical and sensory disabilities, and long term neurological conditions

Surrey County Council often seeks to involve people who use their services in designing new services, or changing existing ones. There are a number of specific groups that meet regularly to discuss services and issues of relevance. Click on the links below to get more information about each of the groups.

Carers

Giving Carers a Voice programme and Carer's Parliament

Action for Carers run a programme of Giving Carers a Voice consultations, as well as a Carers' Parliament, finding out from carers their views and opinions on their services and issues facing carers generally.

The Carers' Parliament is open to any carer who is registered with Action for Carers. The meetings usually look at a certain theme, allowing them to consult and develop the service in a way that carers feel is important and relevant to caring today. Each parliament has prepared activities, often a speaker, and a chance for feedback and questions and answers.

Family Voice Surrey

Family Voice Surrey champions the needs and rights of SEND families in Surrey: families with children or young adults up to the age of 25 who have special educational needs, chronic illnesses, including mental health conditions, or disabilities.

It aims to give Surrey parents a strong collective voice, a forum to share knowledge and empowerment to improve opportunities for their children.

FOCUS - Forum of carers and people who use our services

The four area FOCUS groups are for people who use Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP) services and their carers giving them the opportunity to hear about what is happening in the SABP Trust and feedback their comments and/or concerns about health and social care of people with mental ill health or learning disability.

Learning disability

Valuing People Groups

We operate four Local Valuing People Groups in Surrey to ensure that people at a local level are involved and informed. These groups meet quarterly and enable everyone to have a say at a local level on what and how things can be done for those people with a learning disability. More specifically, they ensure people with a learning disability and their families have a voice and can contribute to improving their local communities.

Each of the groups feeds into Surrey's Learning Disability Partnership Board.

  • East Surrey (Reigate and Banstead and Tandridge)
  • Mid Surrey (Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell and Mole Valley)
  • North West Surrey (Spelthorne, Runnymede and Woking)
  • South West Surrey (Surrey Heath, Guildford and Waverley)

FOCUS - Forum of carers and people who use our services

The four area FOCUS groups are for people who use Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP) services and their carers giving them the opportunity to hear about what is happening in the SABP Trust and feedback their comments and/or concerns about health and social care of people with mental ill health or learning disability.

Long term neurological conditions

Long Term Neurological Conditions Group

A group for people living with long term neurological conditions such as MS, Parkinson's, MND and Brain Injury, and their carers. The group meets quarterly with the commissioners and services providers, together with the charities which support them.

Mental health

FOCUS - Forum of carers and people who use our services

The four area FOCUS groups are for people who use Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP) services and their carers giving them the opportunity to hear about what is happening in the SABP Trust and feedback their comments and/or concerns about health and social care of people with mental ill health or learning disability.

Surrey and North East Hampshire Independent Mental Health Network

The Surrey and North-East Hampshire Independent Mental Health Network is run by run by Surrey Coalition for people who have experienced mental ill-health, or who care for someone who has, to help improve services.

Older people

Older Peoples Network

The Older Peoples Network brings together people in Guildford, Waverley and Surrey Heath to share information and encourage best practice in supporting the needs of older people. The network meets four times a year, and members include health professionals, council representatives, individuals, and voluntary sector organisations.

Anyone with an interest in ageing or issues of relevance to older people is welcome to attend.

Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum (SMEF)

Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum provides a platform for people of all ages, including older people to come together to voice their opinions and advocate for their needs and aspirations.

Local district and borough councils

All local district and borough councils have community services for older people and may have a local forum to join.

Physical and sensory disabilities

Disability Empowerment Network Surrey

The Disability Empowerment Network Surrey is made up of groups of local disabled people and their carers, who meet quarterly to discuss issues that affect them. The groups aim to engage and empower the local disabled community and to champion their interests. As well as disabled people and their carers, representatives from local organisations such as Surrey County Council and the NHS regularly attend meetings.

Veterans

The Veterans' Hub Project offers veterans a way to gain advice, support and services under one roof. Also offers information on how to get involved in establishing or developing a drop-in centre.