Disabled people and other long term service users will have the chance to give their views on their local health and social care services through Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living (Wilts CIL) in a new contract with Wiltshire Council for User Engagement awarded from June 1^st 2018. ‘This is good news,’ said Clare Evans, Chair of Wilts CIL and herself disabled, ‘because it is sometimes hard to get the help we need to speak up and yet our views have useful knowledge for planners in the future.’

The new contract will enable Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire CCG to access users’ views on a range of issues at county and local level. WCIL will develop local and innovative ways for service users to give their views in their community areas as well as maintain the established partnership working at county level which Wiltshire has a national reputation for.

‘This complements the Independent Living services we have developed to support over 2,000 disabled people in Wiltshire to lead the lives they choose’, said Geraldine Bentley, Wilts CIL CEO, ‘We shall build on the involvement our members already have to reach out to all disabled people and other long term service users. We shall be working with Wiltshire People First to develop a comprehensive service enabling all those who wish to have a voice to participate in addressing local issues.’