Life's hard, especially when you are disadvantaged by ill health or disability.
That's why people in East Sussex are being asked to speak out.
We want to hear the experiences of people living with a long-term health condition, physical disability or sensory impairment - and what type of support would make a real difference to their lives.
These thoughts and comments will be used to plan a coordinated range of health and social care services in East Sussex, in a strategy called 'Improving Life Chances.'
A person living with MS, for example, might think our approach to care is inflexible and doesn't respond quickly enough during a relapse.
An adult who's registered blind might not want 'care', but support to find a job.
A wife whose husband has had a stroke, might need to balance childcare with caring, but finds this difficult with the current set up of services on offer.
Of course, the above are all imagined examples.
To make our future services fit local needs, we need to hear from the people that use them now!
Here's how you can get involved:
Give us your views online, by selecting 'Improving Life Chances' from www.eastsussex.gov.uk/yourcouncil/consultation/current
Or, call (01273) 482533 to request a printed copy of the consultation leaflet.
You must get your comments to us by Friday 22nd May at the latest.
East Sussex County Council Adult Social Care, NHS Hastings and Rother & NHS East Sussex Downs and Weald hope to launch the agreed new strategy in September 2009.
