THE needs of disabled and older people in Worcestershire have been highlighted at a conference in the county.

The disabled, elderly and the companies and organisations that provide them with services, gathered at the conference at Wychavon Civic Centre, in Pershore, last week.

Simon Heng, chairman of the Worcestershire Association of Service Users, which organised the conference, said: "This was a real opportunity for the people who need help and care to come face-to-face with the people who provide it. We hope that this conference will be a stepping stone in the process of building partnerships between the professionals and the cared for."

Independent

He said he hoped the conference would help service providers to understand how they can help the disabled and elderly have a more comfortable, independent and fuller life.

Michael Chappelow, a spokesman for the group, said: "Everyone now realises that to provide the appropriate kind of help, statutory and voluntary organisations need to involve the people who are going to use them.

"And who's better placed to do this than the people on the receiving end?"