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Mental Health Voice brings together the experiences of people using mental health services across Kent and Medway, ensuring that lived experience helps shape local decision making. This latest report focuses on feedback gathered from people living in Medway and Swale between April and June 2026, highlighting what is working well and where improvements may be needed in mental health support and services.
During the quarter, 184 pieces of feedback were collected, including 172 experiences directly relating to mental health care and support. The majority of responses came from Medway residents (98%), with women accounting for 77% of respondents. The largest age group represented was people aged 35 to 44.
Key findings
Positive experiences of talking therapies
Feedback relating to counselling, psychotherapy and talking therapy services increased compared with the previous quarter, accounting for 15% of all mental health feedback. Many people described positive experiences, praising compassionate staff, meaningful support and feeling listened to throughout their treatment journey. Affordable and accessible counselling services, including those offered by voluntary sector organisations, were also highlighted as valuable sources of support.
However, some respondents reported challenges accessing appropriate support, particularly individuals whose needs were considered too complex for NHS Talking Therapies. These experiences suggest that some people continue to face difficulties finding ongoing mental health support that matches their needs.
Growing concerns about mental health support in GP services
Feedback about mental health support provided through GP practices also increased during the quarter, rising from 9% to 15% of all mental health feedback. While some people reported positive experiences, concerns were raised around interactions with staff, communication and continuity of care.
Several respondents described feeling dismissed when discussing their mental health with healthcare professionals, while others reported receiving limited information about available support services. Difficulties around communication, signposting and follow-up care featured prominently in the feedback received.
The report also identified experiences relating to ADHD assessment and support pathways. People shared mixed experiences of the Right to Choose pathway, with some praising smooth transitions into shared-care arrangements and others describing a lack of follow-up support after assessment.
Supporting improvement through lived experience
Mental Health Voice continues to provide a platform for people to share their experiences of mental health services and support. By bringing together feedback from across local communities, these insights help health and care organisations better understand people's needs, identify emerging themes and drive improvements across the mental health system.
Read the full report to explore the findings in more detail and learn how lived experience is helping shape mental health services across Medway and Swale.
