Collective Advocacy – Lothian Voices

Every year Lothian Voices organises the People’s Conference with support from CAPS. The People’s Conference is for people with lived experience of mental health issues who live in the NHS Lothian area. It takes a different focus each year, for example in 2023 the conference was all about housing. The group’s activities have expanded with the goal of exploring more ways to get people in Lothians views heard on a national stage. They have submitted responses, as a group, on topics such as the Mental Health Law Review and the consultation on a Scottish Adult Social Care Service. The group are active members of the Mental Health Cross Party Parliamentary group of the Scottish Parliament and regularly attend, submit responses and take part in oral evidence sessions.