Here is another blog post aimed at those caring for a loved one living with mental illness. If you want to see the video lecture of “Advocacy & Mental Health Care Top Questions Every Carer Should Ask”. Click on the video below.
Caring for someone with a long-term mental illness is both a noble and challenging task. In today’s society, unpaid carers, often family members or close friends, play a crucial role in supporting individuals with mental health needs. Despite their importance, unpaid carers frequently navigate a complex and overwhelming landscape of rights, services, and support systems.
On Thursday, 27th February, an impactful event titled “Making Time for Black Mental Health” took place at the Novotel Hotel in Greenwich.
The event aimed to provide a safe space for open discussions about black mental health, offering insights from experts, personal stories, and highlighting available support resources.
This event brought together professionals, community members, and individuals with lived experiences to share their thoughts on mental health in the black community, providing guidance on seeking help and breaking the stigma around mental well-being.
On February 25th, 2025, carers, professionals, and support organizations gathered at Tooley Street for a Carers event provided by Southwark Council. The event was developed by Sarah Bullman, Senior Policy and Strategy Lead for Adult Social Care over in Southwark. The event, hosted by Simon Rayner, provided an opportunity to connect, share updates, and explore ways to support carers in the community.
Key Highlights from the Event:
🔹 Carefree – Presented by Salil Meech Mazumdar, Carefree shared their work in providing much-needed short breaks and respite opportunities for unpaid carers, ensuring they have time to rest and recharge.
🔹 Southwark Carers – Sarah Bullman introduced Southwark Carers including Verinder CEO of Southwark Carers, an essential organization offering tailored advice, practical support, and advocacy for carers in the borough of Southwark.
🔹 Mobilise – A digital-first platform supporting carers, Mobilise was discussed in depth, highlighting how online peer support and coaching can help carers navigate their roles more effectively.
🔹 Imago – Known for their work in youth and adult carer services, Imago shared updates on their projects that focus on young carers, connecting them with resources and professional guidance.
🔹 Carers Hub/Centre – Southwark council focus on a new Carers Hub set for next year, where updates on focus groups and workshops on how the carers centre will be used for supporting unpaid carers.
The last section of the event was below
🔹 Voice of the Carer & Carer Empowerment – Chloe Harvey and Sarah Bullman provided updates on Southwark’s Carers Strategy, reinforcing the importance of carer voices in shaping policy.
Plus Matthew McKenzie, a well-known carer advocate, spoke passionately about listening to carers, empowering them, and ensuring co-production in decision-making. He also read moving excerpts from his book, The Poetry of Mental Health Caring, which resonated deeply with attendees.
The event concluded with a networking lunch, allowing attendees to connect, share experiences, and strengthen their collective efforts in supporting carers.
This forum was a powerful reminder that carers should never feel alone—there is a strong and growing community dedicated to uplifting and advocating for them. 💙
Here is a brief update of the joint Southwark & Lambeth mental health carers forum I run the last monday of the month. The forum is a space for those caring for someone with mental ill health to connect and get updates from service providers.
As facilitator Matthew McKenzie emphasized the importance of managing guilt as a mental health carer, challenging unrealistic expectations, and setting boundaries for one’s own well-being. Matthew also stressed the need for self-care, seeking professional guidance, and advocating for respite care. The conversation ended with discussions on the concept of guilt, the challenges of being a carer, and strategies for holding care coordinators and social workers accountable.
Caring for someone living with psychosis is no easy task. It’s a road filled with challenges, uncertainty, and emotional strain.
For many unpaid carers, this experience can feel isolating, especially when navigating a health system that often prioritizes the patient while leaving carers in the background. But carers play a crucial role, and understanding this journey is key to ensuring both the wellbeing of the person experiencing psychosis and the carer themselves.
Recognizing and Supporting Unpaid Carers – Why It Matters
Video and blog created by Carer Activist Matthew McKenzie
Unpaid carers are the unsung heroes of our health and social care system. Across England, 4.7 million people provide unpaid care, with 1.4 million caring for over 50 hours a week. Their contribution is valued at £152 billion annually, yet many struggle to access the support they need.
Unpaid carers play an essential role in our healthcare system, especially for those dealing with mental ill health or long-term cancer care. Matthew McKenzie’s lecture brings much-needed attention to the critical role unpaid carers play and offers insights for both healthcare professionals and family members on how to better support these individuals. Let’s delve into key aspects highlighted in the lecture aimed at care awareness and support.
To watch a more indepth version please see the video below.
The Importance of Acknowledging and Valuing Carers
Unpaid carers are often the closest relatives or friends of the patient and have substantial insights about the patient’s history, symptoms, and what has worked best in their care journey.
Understanding Unpaid Carers and the Vital Role of Carer Centers
This blog is by carer activist Matthew McKenzie. In the UK, millions of people, often unnoticed and unappreciated, dedicate their lives to caring for family members with long-term physical or mental health conditions. These unpaid carers are the backbone of the caregiving system, yet they face numerous challenges daily. Here, we delve into the crucial role of carer centers, the obstacles they encounter, and potential solutions to sustain and enhance their vital services.
In this blog, you can explore the significance of Race Equality Week 2025 and how every action counts in challenging racial disparities and promoting lasting change in workplaces, communities, and society as a whole.
Introduction
Welcome! This blog is inspired by a moving and compelling speech given by Matthew McKenzie, aimed at raising awareness on anti-racism, advocating for unpaid carers, and highlighting mental health issues. Matthew’s message resonates deeply, especially as it concludes Race Equality Week 2025, which was held from February 3rd to the 9th. The theme for this year is “Every Action Counts,” emphasizing that even the smallest actions can contribute to fostering a fairer and more inclusive society.
Welcome to the brief update of my hospital carers discharge toolkit meeting. I chair this meeting every two months with support of the carer centres and some hospitals.
The London Hospital discharge toolkit aims to provide a collaborative platform where unpaid carers, hospital carer leads and carer centres can work together to:
Enhance support for unpaid carers of patients using hospital services.
Improve communication and engagement between hospital staff and unpaid carers especially during patient discharge.
Identify and address the needs and concerns of carers within the hospital setting.
Share ways to implement London Hospital discharge toolkit to ensure carers are recognized, supported, and actively involved in the care journey of their loved ones while in hospital.
A Caring Mind 