Expertise

• Autism / Neurodiversity
• Peer Mentoring
• Lived Experience

I joined in August 2023 because I wanted to improve NHS services and represent all psychosis and autism service users and give them a voices for NHS and the Welsh Government.

When I worked in retail they were making me work unsociable hours. This cause me to have a mental break down from being overworked and mistreated in work place (also know as burn out for people with autism).

I was diagnosed with psychosis when I was on the ward in Ystrad Mynach. I was under the early intervention team in Risca and they help me through my recovery through one-to-one support and adventure therapy. This would involve playing football, wildlife trust, mounting climbing, go karting, coffee group and going on walks. Also I’m a qualified peer mentor volunteering under early intervention service.

When I was under the early intervention service I got a diagnosis with autism from the National Autistic Society. They also helped me with understanding my needs and coping strategies on dealing with my autism.

I have been volunteering throughout my recovery, working along side the Aneurin Bevan Mental Health and Learning Disabilities since June 2022, and still working alongside them. I’ve been on bid panels, interview panels and got to meet some of the best minds that Aneurin Bevan have to offer. Also got to work with the peer mentor development team and present live on stage with them. Working with peer mentors made me want to be one. My team in Aneurin Bevan are also working alongside the Mental Health and Learning Disability Strategic Partnership Board.

I was also in the planning stages of getting a Wales Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum up and running in the Gwent.

I’ve worked alongside the Welsh Government in the first Sendd Advisory Group 22-23. We manged to help Welsh Government to implement the No Wrong Door policy and the Neurodiversity policy.

I’m also the first person in Wales to be a service user representative for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, working on policy and report on how to improve psychosis services.

I’m working alongside SUCRG and McPin Foundation to improve the lives of service users that have psychosis, using technology like smart watches and phone apps to monitor the service users health.

Working with the Wales Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum has shown me that service users and carers do have a voice and they champion our needs. I’ve met some amazing people from all over Wales working on the Forum.

With the Forum, I’ve been able to get in touch with local authority commissioners. I’m also thankful of the support Practice Solutions give me while doing this work.