Welcome back to another blog post from carer activist Matthew McKenzie. I am involved in quite a few things to raise awareness of unpaid mental health carers. One of them is Carers Trusts Triangle of Care Framework.

Triangle of Care is a framework developed to improve collaboration between mental health services, service users (patients), and carers. It was created by the Carers Trust in the UK, focusing on involving carers (family members or friends who support individuals with mental health issues) in care and treatment decisions, while ensuring they receive the support and recognition they need.

We have many mental health trusts who are members of the Triangle of Care. One of them is Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust or AWP for short.

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) is the lead provider of healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

With support from Laura Sheridan who leads on carers at Cygnet. We both attended and supported the event at the mental health partnership trust. I took the time to explore the wonderful area of Bristol. Everyone I met was welcoming and friendly.

AWP have taken up the challenge to implement the Triangle of care and listen to carers. One of the best ways to listen to carers is through engagement and celebration events.

So on Thursday 3rd of October Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) ran their #LetsHearCarers event. The event was held over at Somerdale Pavilion, Keynsham.

The day started off with a welcome from Sarah Jones, Director of Nursing and Quality at AWP.

We then got to hear from Ayesha Ahmed-Mendoza on the Black2Nature campaign to enable minorty ethnic children to have better access to nature camps. Next I was impressed with the presentation from Elaine Bennett regarding experiences of deaf carers.

Then we had the panel of carers giving their experiences of involvement at the NHS trust. I personally feel involvement of carers shaping services is a powerful way of allowing carers to have their say.

After the break, we got to hear from Debbie Hustings who is the new Triangle of Care lead for Carers Trust. Debbie used to be the former NHS England carers lead for London and has a wealth of experience when it comes to unpaid carers. Debbie presented on carers rights as she presented with her carers hat on. Next there was a comedy session from Angie Betcher who is a comedian at Bristol university, she is also skilled as a poet as well as a comedy performer.

Next was Lunch and workshops to cater for the wellbeing of carers who attended.

Have lunch I was up to read out 2 poems. One of the poems you can see from Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust’s video of the carer event below.

After more performances and networking with carers, I headed home. I would like to thank Avon and Whiltshire for the excellent event they put on for the community. Everything was planned brilliantly and I did not hear any grumbling from carers. I look forward to more events in future.