Service User and Carer Group

within the School of Health Professions
Professional groups within The School of Health Professions

Service User and Carer Groups within the School of Health Professions are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the General Optical Council (GOC). The HCPC require involvement of service users and carers within any programme they accredit; the GOC advocate similar involvement of service users and carers. 

The School of Health Professions has two active service user and carer groups. The structure of these groups varies; in general they are comprised of service users and carers, as implied by the name, as well as representatives from the academic programmes within the school.

The social work service user and carer consultative group was established in 2002 and supports both BA and MA Social Work programmes as well as clinical psychology programmes. More recently the service user and carer group for the School of Health Professions was established; this represents the remaining professions within the school (dietetics, occupational therapy, optometry, paramedicine, physiotherapy, podiatry). Some, members attend both groups with a view to sharing expertise and support across the school.

These groups meet on a regular basis. The general aims are as follows; 

  • To ensure that service user and carer perspectives are considered in the development of SOHP curricula.
  • To promote active involvement of service users and carers in the delivery of SOHP curricula.
  • To represent service user and carer needs and opinions at a programme and module level.
  • To observe regulatory, commissioning and professional body educational requirements for programmes within the SOHP.

These aims may mean the groups, or members of the groups being involved in activities such as course/module development and maintenance, teaching, assessing, student recruitment and research.

Professional groups within The School of Health Professions