Service User Advisory Group

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Service User Advisory Group

The Service User Advisory Group or SUAG is a group of 10 people with lived experience of a range of mental health conditions who advise both collectively and in smaller groups about aspects of the project. We have 3 main meetings a year. These begin with a summary and discussion of recent progress across each of the six work streams. Usually meetings are attended by researchers from the individual work streams. They bring their work to the group for comment and discussion. Members of the group also take part in other activities within the project, such as attending policy labs or wider Mental Health and Justice meetings As well as this members are consulted individually or in smaller groups on particular work stream-related tasks. Our aim is to ensure that the entire project reflects the needs and concerns of people with mental health problems, their families, and carers.

Javier was born in Spain, coming over to the U. K. in 2005. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2009, his life being blighted by the condition since the mid-1990s. Javier is sometimes unable to carry the cross of his own mistakes in life, and mistakes of others have affected him deeply. Despite that, you may find him often exercising his sarcasm on himself - or on a third unlucky party maybe.

Karen has a psychology degree, and has used mental health services as a patient since 2006. Karen has worked in commissioning and procurement roles at South West London & St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, Camden and Lambeth. Karen currently works part-time, most recently at NHS England, and is also a member of the South West London Integrated Urgent Care Patient Partnership Group.