Disability West Lothian works to develop and support three local Forums.
The Physical Disability User Forum
The Visual Impairment
The West Lothian Deaf Forum
Disability West Lothian also has links to the Local Learning Disability Forum and the Mental Health Forum.
How to join a forum
To become a member of a forum you need to be someone who has a direct experience of disability, be willing to share your views and want to help make improvement to local services.
Being part of a forum can be very rewarding.
What does a local forum do?
Present the range of views from individuals about living with a disability and the way service delivery affects each of them.
Highlight Good and Bad Practice in local services. Offering an alternative perspective, and ideas that would make a difference. Challenging the assumptions of professionals and service providers.
Engage positively with professionals, the Local Authority and NHS organisations. The aim is to improve services for all people.
Network with as wide a range of groups and individuals as possible to raise awareness of disability issues and to find out what other disabled people think.
Promote inclusion – Forums can suggest ways that other service users might be involved and engaged in the service planning and monitoring.
Creates a focal point - A Forum provides a focal point for the Services to consult disabled people easily and learn of their needs and gain their advice.
Want to do more?
You can, you can become a forum representative.
Representatives are chosen by each forum. They represent and promote the views held within the forum at various meetings and conferences. Feeding back to the forum the views and plans expressed at the meetings and conferences.
Why become a user representative?
You get the chance to influence how local services are delivered and to ensure that they are organised in a way that suits and benefits all people with disabilities.
You are an advocate for people with disabilities and you can learn new knowledge and skills that might help you in other parts of your life.
People with disabilities often see it as an opportunity to give something back for the care they have received.
You get the chance to meet other people with disabilities who are looking to improve services.
Disability West Lothian’s Support Role
Disability West Lothian works to support and develop the local Forums. We do this by providing a pro-active support service to each forum.
The Support Services offered includes the following:
Engaging and involving all interested parties.
Giving support to individual members to become involved and to sustain the involvement.
Undertake administrative and organisational duties for the forums, (calling notices, minute taking, mailing, etc).
Providing information and advice to forum members and its representatives.
Promoting the forums.
Working with each forum to identify, share and promote good practice.
To join or find out more about the a forum please
contact us at Disability West Lothian.
