We are now seeking applications to join the innovative new 12-member ‘People’s Panel’. Members will play a key role in shaping future services, initially focussing on community activities and supported living - where Adult Social Care is focussing on helping people live well, safely and with as much independence as possible in their own homes and communities.

Panel members, who will be paid for their time and expertise including initial training, will work alongside council social care teams and partner organisations to co-produce ideas, share their lived experiences, and participate in the design, delivery and improvement of services. The varied role could include consultations, workshops, service reviews and commissioning activities. The panel will be central to helping ensure services reflect what matters most to people who use them, and creating more inclusive, effective and person-centred support for local communities.

Cllr Carole Gandy, Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing, said:

“The best people to design better social care services and activities for the future are those who have experience of them, and their carers. We’re putting their experience, views and ideas at the centre of how we improve what we do for people with additional support needs.

“Giving people more flexible activities, based on what they tell us they want, is essential to helping people enjoy socialising, making connections, taking part in a variety of activities and more. Adult social care is often best provided in people’s local communities, close to home. It means more opportunities for independence and to boost their well-being in many ways.”

Panel members will attend workshop sessions lasting two and a half hours every six weeks or so during the first year and will be paid for their time.

The council is also creating a wider network to input into future Adult Social Care services - and looking for people to join this network too. It will provide people with lived experience and carers an opportunity to contribute on a more flexible and informal basis, particularly sharing their experiences and views on issues and services that matter most to them.

Together, the new panel and network will support Herefordshire Council’s ambition to work collaboratively with residents to ensure adult social care services continue to meet local needs and help people live well within their communities.

Applying to join the panel has been designed to be straightforward, accessible and quick. Interested residents can either complete an online application form or submit a short video explaining why they would like to take part. Support is also available for anyone who needs assistance with their application.

Adult Social Care currently supports more than 6,000 people across Herefordshire who require care and support, including some of the county’s most vulnerable residents. Demand for adult social care has continued to grow both locally and nationally, increasing pressures on those needing support, their unpaid carers and the services that support them.

By bringing people with lived experience into the design of future services, the council hopes to develop new approaches that better meet the needs of local people and strengthen community-based support across the county.

For more information and to apply visit the People's Panel page on our website.