Ian Penfold

My name is Ian, and I am a carer from Hampshire. Following a long career in a variety of technical roles in the private and public sector I am now retired from fulltime working.

For many years I have supported and worked alongside disability groups, charities, education, health, and social care organisations on a voluntary basis, to promote the needs of people with learning disabilities and/or autism and my work very much continues in retirement.

My wife and son both have a learning disability and chronic health needs, our son is also autistic. Family life has given me both insight and personal lived experience of the challenges that families like ours often face and I am determined to do what I can to help and speak up for other families and individuals in similar circumstances. This is very personal to us given the problems that we have experienced over the years.

I am passionate about trying to improve the quality and accessibility of health and social care services as it can be extremely hard if not impossible at times to obtain appropriate care and support.