FROM this week patients, carers and their families in Somerset have a new way to share their views about local mental health services.

NHS Choices, the official web site for health information and advice has joined with Patient Opinion, an independent organisation which is working with health and social care organisations, to enable more people to share stories about their care.

Through Patient Opinion's website, www.patientopinion.org.uk service users, carers and their families can comment on the care they have received. These comments will be sent directly to key staff at the trust involved. They then have the opportunity to publicly respond to the feedback.

Diana Rowe, the Deputy Chief Executive for Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, welcomed the new web site saying: "The Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust already works hard to incorporate the views of service users and their carers into the services we provide.

"Mental health care is not like other health services. It still carries a real stigma that leaves people reluctant to talk about their illness or their recovery. We therefore welcome the development of this new web site. Many more people now have access to the internet and we hope local people will start to share their views and experiences through the new Patient Opinion site. This will not only give us helpful feedback to improve service, but also offer patients a louder voice."