‘It’s only right that we get involved’: service‐user perspectives on involvement in learning disability services

Accessible summary Government policy talks about how important it is that people who use services get a say in what happens. People with learning disabilities don’t always get as much of a say as other people. We asked some people with learning disabilities how services could listen to them more. The group told us that sometimes they were treated unfairly and other times they were listened to. They wanted more of a say about what happens in services. They had some ideas about how to do this. This article talks about how important it is to listen to those ideas and give people with learning disabilities a real say in what happens in services. Summary Promotion of service‐user and carer involvement is part of the mainstream policy agenda in health and social care [ Crit Soc Policy 25 (2005) 164]. Much effort has been invested into involving people with learning disabilities in decisions regarding aspects of their lives through advocacy projects and the utilisation of person‐centred planning approaches. However, people with learning disabilities continue to be a group of people who are the ‘most excluded, least independent and most likely to lack control in every day life’ [ Sociology of Health and lllness 30 (2008) 532] . This article describes a focus group that was conducted to explore the lived experiences of people with learning disabilities as users of services. Thematic analysis revealed three key themes: feelings of unfairness and inequality; experiences of inclusion and power; and future visions. Implications for practice are discussed.