Advisory Group

Sebastian Foreman is autistic. He presents talks and training sessions for care home managers, support staff and other health care professionals about how to support people well. He lives in residential care and has spent long periods of time in locked hospital wards, so is passionate about this project as he has lived experience around the topic of mental health medications and both the positive and negative sides of their use.

Dave is a pharmacist who has worked with people with a learning disability for many years. He feels it is very important for people to understand their medication and to be actively involved in making the right decisions about which medications they take. He works for NHS England making sure people receive the right medication and is very keen to be involved in this research to understand people’s experiences of medication.

Shaun is a married, bisexual man who is a parent and a grandfather too. Shaun is a man with learning disabilities, dyslexia and short term memory problems. He lives independently in his flat with support from KeyRing on his own terms when he needs it. Shaun is also a Trustee on KeyRing's Board. Shaun describes himself as a sci-fi and horror geek who likes history and different types of music. 

Shaun has four jobs. He works for St. Mary's Involvement Team, Forum Central, Photosymbols and I.C. work. Shaun is looking forward to some upcoming freelance work with Liverpool University about older people with learning disabilities. Shaun uses his life experiences in his work. He is a big believer in human rights and giving people with learning disabilities and autistic people a voice. He believes in making information accessible.

Hazel is an autistic emergency department nurse and carer for her autistic son. Hazel is a trainer and educator, and has advised on many issues and initiatives including:

• STOMP (stopping the overmedication of people with learning disabilities, autism or both)

• OMMT (The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism)

• Mental Health Act reform

•  The British Association of Social Workers

• Patient safety

• Physical health

Max runs Thinklusive, an organisation supporting the creation of accessible information and communications. Max's work with Thinklusive involves co-production with people with lived experience to design, create and review information and work across the health and care landscape. Max is currently using his skills and experience in accessible design as a co-applicant on a NIHR-funded project 'No Research About Us, Without Us'. Max is also a support worker to a young man with learning disabilities. They volunteer together at a local National Trust site and go swimming. 

My name is Jacquie Shenton and I work as a Consultant Nurse in the Learning Disability Service in Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust. I am also an Independent Nurse Prescriber. I am really interested in supporting people with learning disability to have positive mental health. I work clinically to implement the STOMP agenda and reduce inappropriate prescribing of medication for those without any mental illness.