Category Archives: SW London Carers Group

South West London Mental Health Carers Forum – September 2026 Update

By Matthew McKenzie, Co-Facilitator – South West London Mental Health Carers Forum

Our September forum brought carers together with Nisha from the South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust Recovery College.

We explored the courses available to carers, how to join them, and a question that matters well beyond the college: what happens when a carer still needs support after a time-limited service ends?

What the Recovery College offers carers

Nisha explained that Recovery College courses are co-produced and delivered by a practitioner trainer alongside a peer trainer with lived experience. The college offers face-to-face courses across Kingston, Richmond, Sutton, Merton and Wandsworth, as well as online learning.

Five online courses run each term specifically for friends, family members and carers: Your Role in Recovery, What Is Recovery?, Responding to Extremes, Planning for Well-being, and Navigating Support Services. Carers who meet the college’s eligibility criteria can also explore its wider range of courses.

We also heard about Navigating the Wards, a newer course for families and carers whose loved one has been admitted to a mental health ward. It brings together practical information, contact with ward staff and a chance to meet others who understand that experience. A carer may need time before feeling ready to attend, so it was reassuring to hear that the course is intended to run again rather than being a one-off opportunity.

Caring does not end after 12 months

The most important discussion came from a carer who had benefited from Recovery College courses but questioned the limit on access after a loved one leaves trust services. Nisha explained that eligible carers can continue to access courses for up to 12 months after discharge, while webinars remain available more widely.

A caring role rarely follows that timetable. Someone may need to pause their learning during a difficult period, return to a course when they are better able to take it in, or seek support years later as circumstances change. A second member also asked about eligibility, showing how relevant this question is to carers trying to find the right help.

Nisha listened to these concerns and said she would take the question of eligibility back for further discussion. She also described work to strengthen links with community and voluntary organisations, so that carers have clearer routes to support when their access to the college ends. It was a constructive exchange, and one we hope can continue.

Members also spoke about how hard it can be to discover support in the first place. Carers should not have to find every course or service by chance while managing an already demanding role. Clear information, accessible formats and active outreach matter, including for carers from ethnic minority communities and people who may face other barriers to taking part.

How carers can take part

Nisha explained that prospective students can look through the Recovery College timetable and complete an online registration form, selecting courses that interest them. The team checks eligibility and confirms a place if one is available; if a course is full, there may be a waiting list. Open days offer a chance to talk through the options, but a registered student does not need to attend an open day each term to book another course. Courses in a different borough may also be an option.

We asked how carers from this forum could help shape future courses. Nisha welcomed continued discussion about carer involvement in course design and delivery. We also talked about sharing information both ways: making more carers aware of the college, and helping people who attend its carer courses find our forum.

A space for carers to connect

At the start of the meeting, I shared a glimpse of a recent carers’ art and poetry session. Creative expression can give carers another way to speak about experiences that are difficult to put into everyday conversation. I would welcome the chance to explore a similar opportunity in South West London with interested carers and local partners.

Thank you to Nisha for joining us and answering members’ questions openly, and to the carers who shared their experiences. Their questions helped move the conversation from a list of courses to the practical issue of whether support remains accessible when carers need it.

The South West London Mental Health Carers Forum meets monthly and welcomes unpaid mental health carers across the five boroughs. Our next meeting is planned for Monday 26 October 2026. To ask about joining, email info@swlondonmhcarers.org.uk.

South West London Mental Health Carers Forum – August 2026 Update

By Matthew McKenzie, Co-Facilitator – South West London Mental Health Carers Forum

The South West London Mental Health Carers Forum met again during August 2026, bringing together unpaid carers to share experiences, discuss how the forum is developing and look at ways we can strengthen the voice of carers across South West London.

The forum continues to be a peer-led space shaped by carers themselves. An important message from the August meeting was that this is a group for carers, run with carers and influenced by carers. Members spoke about wanting people who join the forum to feel recognised, valued and able to support one another, rather than the group becoming overly formal or service-led.

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SW London Carers Forum – November 2025 Update

By Matthew McKenzie, Co-Facilitator – SW London Carers Forum

About the South West London Carers Group

The South West London Carers Group brings together unpaid mental health carers from across the boroughs of Sutton, Merton, Wandsworth, Richmond and Kingston, to share experiences, gain peer support, and stay informed about local health and social care developments.

The group provides a safe and welcoming space where carers can discuss the challenges of supporting loved ones particularly those with long-term conditions or mental health needs while also learning from guest speakers, professionals, and each other. Co-facilitated by myself, the forum plays an important role in making carers’ voices heard and strengthening connections between carers and local NHS, mental health, and community services.

Our November South West London Carers Group meeting brought one of the most informative sessions we’ve had all year. We were joined by Dalvinder, the Patient Experience Lead for NHS 111, who provided a thorough and eye-opening look at how the 111 urgent care service really works, what carers can expect, and how the system is evolving.

Dal’s role involves reviewing patient feedback, monitoring the quality of calls, and ensuring that the service remains compassionate, safe, and responsive. He also regularly meets with community groups, like ours to raise awareness of what 111 can offer.

24/7 Telephone Assessments

Dal opened by reminding us that NHS 111 operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and never closes. The telephone assessment is often the first point of contact, and callers speak to a trained health advisor who uses the NHS Pathways system to ask structured questions. This ensures the call handler can rule out serious issues and direct the caller to the right service quickly. Dal emphasised that while questions can feel detailed or repetitive, each answer opens or closes clinical “pathways,” helping the system determine the safest next step.

GP Home Visiting (Evenings, Overnights, Weekends)

One of the biggest surprises for many carers was learning that NHS 111 has a GP home visiting service, specifically for times when GP surgeries are closed weekday evenings, overnight, weekends, and bank holidays. This service is intended for people who cannot safely travel, including those with mobility issues, caring responsibilities, or urgent health needs that don’t require hospital care. If a home visit is determined to be appropriate, a GP working for 111 can visit in a dedicated GP car and may provide medication on the spot or issue prescriptions if needed.

Primary Care Clinics (PCCs) – Same-Day Appointments via 111

Dal also explained the role of Primary Care Clinics (PCCs) located across South West London. These clinics operate outside normal GP hours and can see patients the same day—but crucially, access is by 111 referral only. If 111 decides that someone needs to see a GP face-to-face and can travel, they may be booked into a PCC appointment. Carers learned that you cannot walk into these clinics directly; 111 must assess the situation and confirm the appointment. This helps manage demand and ensures that appointments go to those who need them most urgently.

The Expanding Role of Pharmacies and “Pharmacy First”

Another major theme was the evolving role of pharmacies in urgent care. Dal explained that pharmacists are highly trained professionals—more trained than many realise—and 111 can now direct callers to pharmacists for assessments, repeat prescriptions, and urgent medication needs. The Pharmacy First scheme allows some pharmacies to provide consultations and treatment in private rooms for a range of minor illnesses. 111 can also arrange emergency prescription access if someone runs out of routine medication while travelling, provided the medication is part of their regular treatment.

Arranging Call-Backs From Your Own GP

In certain situations, NHS 111 can request that your own GP practice contacts you, especially for non-face-to-face issues such as renewal of regular medication, questions about paperwork, or administrative needs. While GP appointment slots reserved for 111 are limited and fill quickly, the service can still send urgent notifications to GP surgeries when clinically necessary. Dal encouraged carers to mention when the need is time-sensitive so the system can prioritise appropriately.

Mental Health Support via 111 Option 2

One of the most important updates for mental health carers was the introduction of 111 Option 2, currently being trialled across London. When callers choose this option, the call is diverted away from standard 111 and straight to local specialist mental health teams, who can assess issues such as relapse, agitation, distress, changes in behaviour, or crises at home. Dal emphasised that while 111 is not a specialist mental health service, Option 2 ensures that people with mental health needs receive expert support. Data from the pilot is expected next year, and Dal offered to return to share the outcomes.

What We Learned About NHS 111

Many carers know the NHS 111 number exists, but few realise the range of services behind it. Dal explained that 111 is a free, 24/7 service (including weekends and holidays) designed for urgent health concerns that are not life-threatening.

Many carers commented that they had no idea 111 provided such a broad range of services.

Questions From Carers

Carers asked many thoughtful and practical questions during the session, including:

1. Mental Health Crises

A carer asked how 111 responds to mental health emergencies, particularly when someone becomes distressed, unwell, or difficult to support at home.

Dal explained that 111 itself is a generic urgent care service, but Option 2 sends callers straight to trained mental health professionals, who can triage cases such as relapse, agitation, or risk concerns in a more specialist way.

2. Access to Medical Records

A question was raised about whether 111’s clinicians can view a patient’s medical history.

Dal clarified that clinicians have access to the Summary Care Record, containing essential medical information, medications, conditions, and recent interactions—if the caller gives consent.

3. Home Visiting Times and Coverage

Carers asked about response times and geographical limits.

Dal explained that SW London is fully covered, though travel times vary depending on the area and how busy the service is. Home visiting is evenings, nights, and weekends only.

4. Staffing Levels and Training

One question focused on whether call handlers are medically trained.

Dal shared that 111 employs 180 health advisors in SW London—non-clinical staff who have completed an intensive six-week training program. They follow the NHS Pathways system and are supported by clinical advisors (GPs, nurses, paramedics) who can join or take over calls when needed.

5. Using 111 When Travelling

A carer asked about getting medication while away from home.

Dal explained that 111 can arrange for prescription collections at pharmacies in another part of England, which has helped many travellers who forget medication.

6. Hearing Impairment and Accessibility

There was interest in support for people who cannot make phone calls.

Dal confirmed services such as text relay, online 111, and the NHS App, all of which improve accessibility for carers and patients with additional needs.

Carer Reflections and Experiences

Several carers shared personal experiences both positive and challenging. One described how 111 triage was vital when they urgently needed treatment for a severe infection, while another discussed difficulties when GP surgeries didn’t always respond quickly to reports sent by 111.
These real stories helped emphasise how important it is for carers to know when and how to use the service, and how essential accurate information is during triage.

Key Tips Dal Shared for Carers

  • Give as much information as possible, including social factors such as caring responsibilities, mobility challenges, or inability to travel.
  • Stay with the person you’re calling about, as the call handler will ask you to check symptoms in real time.
  • Tell 111 if symptoms change—this can alter the urgency and outcome.
  • Always keep your phone nearby when waiting for a callback; 111 will try only three times.
  • Don’t hesitate to call again if you’re unsure or worried.

Closing Thoughts

The session was incredibly well-received. Many carers said they learned things they never knew, even though they had used 111 before. Dal’s openness and honesty—both about what the service can do and what its limitations are—made his presentation especially valuable.

As co-facilitator, I (Matthew McKenzie) will continue to share information like this to help carers navigate local health services more confidently. We hope to invite Dal back once the evaluation of 111 Option 2 (mental health) is published, we also have a keen interest on what the ICB is doing especially regarding carer involvement.

South West London Mental Health carers group update for June 2025

A Space to Share, a Space to Be Heard

The session opened with updates and heartfelt check-ins. One of our carer members, shared a deeply personal and challenging situation regarding her loved ones declining mental and physical health. Despite strained family dynamics and the emotional burden of caring, a carer is courageously advocating for her loved one and seeking support through nursing services and assessments.

Peer Support: Insights from Experience

Long-time members offered valuable perspectives from their own journeys. A carer shared their struggle supporting individuals, which showed a stark reminder of the emotional and logistical toll caring can take. Another carer encouraged fellow carers to prioritise their own well-being, even in small ways a cup of tea, a short walk, a moment to breathe.

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South West London Mental Health carers group update for March 2025

Celebrating Mental Health Carers: Building Stronger Connections in Southwest London

By Matthew McKenzie | April 2025

Mental health carers play a vital, often unseen role in supporting loved ones through some of life’s most difficult challenges. At the SW London Mental Health Carer’s Group, we’re creating a space where carers can connect, learn, and feel empowered.

The forum is faciliated by Matthew McKenzie and Ava, although members of the group are encouraged to facilitate to develop carer empowerment.

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South West London Mental Health carers group update for January 2025

Here is a brief update to the SW London carers group facilitated by Matthew McKenzie and Ava.

Matthew discussed the importance of engaging with Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) for carers, emphasizing its role in providing support, advice, and information to patients and their families. The group also shared their experiences with PALS and other healthcare services, highlighting the need for transparency, accountability, and effective complaint resolution. Plans were made for upcoming meetings, including a speaker on PALS and discussions on expanding membership and increasing attendance.

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South West London Mental Health carers October 2024 update

Here is a brief update of the South West London mental health carers forum. The runs once a month. The group starts with a carer peer support session run by Ava.

The meeting introduced Rosetta Life, an arts and health charity that creates accessible creative projects for carers and those with life-altering illnesses. Attendees discussed the organization’s various initiatives, including poetry workshops, dance programs, and digital projections, as well as their funding sources and collaboration with other charities and healthcare providers. The group also explored potential future projects, challenges in engaging participants, and the importance of offering clear benefits to encourage involvement in their programs.

Introducing Rosetta Life’s Carer Projects

In the meeting, Matthew and Ava introduced Lucinda, the creative director of Rosetta Life, an arts and health charity that aims to make creativity accessible to those living with life-altering illnesses or caring for someone with such illnesses. Lucinda shared the charity’s work with carers, including a project called “The Heart of Care” that began in lockdown. This project involved creating a carer’s chorus, online poetry workshops, and dance workshops to explore the anatomy of caring. The project culminated in digital projections onto public spaces in Kingston, Newcastle, Bristol, and Delhi, aiming to raise awareness of the challenges faced by carers. Lucinda also mentioned an upcoming 360 immersive film and animation project to further raise awareness of the lives of unpaid carers. The attendees expressed their appreciation for the initiative and its potential impact.

Carer Support Across Life Stages

A carer and Lucinda discussed the organization’s work with carers across various life stages, including young carers, parent carers, and grandparent carers. Lucinda explained that they work with a network of freelance artists and a core team, and are funded by the Arts Council, City Bridge Trust, and other trusts and foundations. The organization’s services are free at the point of access, and they align themselves with the NHS. Lucinda also mentioned that they work with charities to ensure safeguarding and referral safety. A carer asked about the organization’s outreach methods and whether they work with carers supporting those with dementia. Lucinda confirmed that they do work with such carers, but rely on charities for referrals and safeguarding. The carer member suggested that the organization could work with NHS trusts to provide carer support, which Lucinda agreed was a good point.

New Carer Program and Animation

The carer group discussed a new program for carers, which will be online and tailored to their needs. Lucinda showed a short film related to the program, which Matthew has shared in this blog post. Lucinda also mentioned a new animation project for the program. A carer expressed interest in the program and asked for more information. Matthew offered to write a blog post about the session for those who couldn’t attend.

Kingston Marketplace and International Poetry

Matthew expressed his delight at seeing the work that was created projected in Kingston Marketplace. Lucinda discussed the work they do with carers, including a peer support exchange with India and South Africa, and the possibility of running an online platform with poetry prompts for carers. She also offered to send the full film to Matthew for sharing. Other carer members showed interest in the international poetry workshops and the potential for a poetry workshop for their group. Lucinda agreed to consider their ideas for future projects.

This concludes a brief update of the SW mental health carer forum.

South West London Mental Health carers September 2024 update

Here is a brief update of the South West London mental health carers forum. The runs once a month.

Quick recap

The South West London Mental Health Carers Forum was established as a carer-led group for connection and learning, the group is co-facilitated by Ava. We also had two speakers for the month of September. The meeting covered various topics such as the role of administrators in mental health services, the importance of involving carers in patient care, the Patient Care Race Equality Framework, and the impact of the cost of living crisis on mental health. The meeting also discussed the work of organizations like Power2Connect and Simple, which focus on digital exclusion and providing access to technology for those who cannot afford it.

South West London Mental Health Carers Forum Meeting

Matthew McKenzie welcomed everyone to the South West London Mental Health Carers Forum, emphasizing its purpose as a carer-led group for connection and learning. He introduced the speakers and encouraged attendees to introduce themselves. A fellow carer member expressed her intention to invite her other carer group members to join the platform. One carer shared her experience on involvement for West London. As the group sometimes connects to the other carer groups matthew runs.

Matthew then introduced the first speaker, Laura McCoy, who was to discuss her role and experiences working in the mental health services.

Administrator’s Experiences and Responsibilities at Psychiatric Ward

Laura, an administrator at Springfield Hospital’s all-female psychiatric ward, shared her experiences and responsibilities. She emphasized the importance of involving carers in the patient’s care from the moment of admission and the need to recognize unpaid carers. Laura also discussed the ward’s unique specifications, such as accommodating Muslim patients and managing bed allocation. She highlighted the importance of understanding the different sections of the admission process for patients and their next of kin, and the need for consent to share information. Laura also noted the distinction between a patient’s next of kin and their nearest relative under the Mental Health Act. She expressed her passion for providing support to carers and acknowledged the need for further work in raising awareness about available support

Addressing Family Pack, Book Availability, and Notice Boards

Ava who runs the peer section of the SW London carers group, expressed interest in seeing a complete family or Carers pack, and Laura agreed to share a some of the contents. Ava raised concerns about the availability of books and the maintenance of notice boards on hospital wards. Laura confirmed they have a bookshelf with around 30 to 40 books and that she maintains the notice boards for patients, mentioning they also have an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor on the ward every Monday. Laura and Ava discussed the importance of addressing issues promptly, with Ava sharing a personal experience that Laura provided some answers. Laura explained her approach to handling such issues, emphasizing direct involvement and follow-up for timely resolution.

Expanding Services, Template Integration, and Lobbying

A carer proposed expanding ideas and information to West London, which matthew agreed could be beneficial. Laura discussed her ongoing talks with the communications team about integrating their family pack into their new template, which might cause a slight delay. Matthew McKenzie suggested Laura send the pack to him for his mailing list. The group also discussed comparing their service with West London trust and potentially testing for improvements. Matthew and another carer discussed their involvement in various groups and events, with the carer expressing her ability to attend these events remotely. The carer also mentioned her participation in various carer support groups, including one led by Gillian Kelly.

Support Groups and Carer-Led Initiatives Discussion

Matthew and another carer discussed the importance of support groups for carers, with the carer emphasizing the need for carers to have a voice and share their experiences. Matthew suggested the possibility of hosting carer-led groups, which the carer agreed was a good idea. Laura, who focuses on contacting carers regardless of their ethnicity, mentioned that she has had her family pack translated into different languages.

Matthew then introduced the topic of the Patient Care Race Equality Framework (PCREF) and encouraged Laura to attend the National Ethnic Carers Forum to learn more about it. However, the other speaker Dominc suggested that Laura could also liaise with Mdad, who is leading on the PCREF initiative at South West London & St Georges. The conversation ended with matthew expressing his focus on families and carers, and Laura’s willingness to share information about the carer-led group.

Improving Mental Health Services and Support

Dominic, a mental project manager for Once of Care Alliance, discussed his role in shaping mental health services based on community input and collaborations. He highlighted his work with the BME mental health forum, supporting the Black and Global Majority Ethnic community, and his efforts to improve support for ex-offenders through drug and alcohol services. Dominic also mentioned collaborations with St. George’s Hospital to enhance perinatal mental health support for the BME community. He stressed the importance of gathering and reporting patient care feedback to improve services. Additionally, Dominc emphasized the significance of addressing mental health and homelessness issues, sharing a personal story about a long-term friend’s relapse of mental health and subsequent homelessness over the past four years.

Addressing Cost of Living Crisis and Mental Health

Dominc discussed the impact of the cost of living crisis on the population, emphasizing that it affects everyone regardless of class or color. He shared personal experiences and statistics to highlight the severity of the issue, noting that a number participants felt sad or depressed due to financial uncertainty. Dominic also pointed out that mental health both contributes to and can be worsened by homelessness, citing statistics from Crisis and Homeless Link. He concluded by discussing the challenges faced in providing mental health support, his involvement in the Mental Health Transformation Group, and his work with the community voices steering group. Dominc also provided guidance on recruitment strategies for mental health services.

Digital Exclusion and Access to Technology Discussion

Dominic provided an overview of his work and introduced two organizations, Power2Connect and Simple, which focus on digital exclusion and providing access to technology for those who cannot afford it. Ava sought clarification on certain terms and mentioned she was awaiting a certificate from an entrance view training. Dominic agreed to send a paragraph about an upcoming event over in Wandsworth.

The event, part of the drug and alcohol service and mental health services open day, aimed to provide support for carers with lived experience of mental health. Dominic promised to send the information about the event to members.

This then lead on to a peer group discussion with fellow carer members. This part was led by Ava.

This concludes the update for the month of September 2024

South West London Mental Health carers January 2024 update

Welcome to the first SW London Mental Health carers forum for the year 2024. This group is aimed at those caring for someone with mental ill health within SW London. The group aligns itself with the same areas the mental health trust South West London & St George’s covers.

Our members are from the boroughs of Merton, Sutton, Kingston, Richmond and Wandsworth. The carers forum is co-facilitated by Ava who is also a carer. Ava focuses on the carer peer aspect in the group. She is also a strong member of the Kingston Carers Network and on involvement at SWLSTG.

The speaker requested by the SW London MH carers group was Stamatia Filippou. Stamatia is the Wellbeing Practitioner of the Wellbeing Team, NHS Merton Talking Therapies. She is based at SWLSTG. Members wanted to hear what services were provided by Merton Uplift.

Merton Uplift Presentation

Stamatia talked about the following.

On how NHS Merton Talking Therapies is a free service for anyone in Merton who has a mental health or wellbeing need, whether this is due to emotional difficulties or life stressors (low mood, feeling stressed or worried, stressful family situations, financial worries, parents who are worried about their children or feeling overwhelmed, life changing events).
The service is accessible to anyone living in the borough of Merton or registered with a Merton GP who are 18 years and over.

Stamatia also mentioned that they are an integrated service which consists of the following teams; Talking Therapies: Offering a range of psychological therapies, CBT (cognitive-behavioural therapy), IPT (interpersonal therapy), EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing), Mindfulness based therapies, online, over the phone or face-to-face, self-guided, in groups or one-to-one.

There is also support for Wellbeing, where this helps individuals connect and access activities and resources to meet their physical, social and emotional needs. Their outreach work focuses on engaging with individuals who have historically not fully accessed talking therapies. Merton Uplift run a variety of wellbeing workshops e.g., Coping with Stress, Food and Mood, Living Well with Chronic Pain, Managing Anger, Managing Sleep, Self-care and Relaxation, Understanding Anxiety, Reaching your potential, Work, stress and burnout plus Wellbeing for carers.

After the presentation, there was a Q & A session where carers can feedback or query what was on offer.

For Talking Therapies referrals:
Phone: 020 3513 5888
Referral Email: mertonupliftreferrals@swlstg.nhs.uk
Via the website: Referral Form (mayden.co.uk)
The service’s admin team will register your referral and book you in for an assessment.

For Wellbeing workshop referrals:
Wellbeing Email: MertonWellbeing@swlstg.nhs.uk
Book directly on Eventbrite: https://mertonuplift.eventbrite.co.uk

April Carer Forum Updates 2023

Welcome back to a quick update of my carer groups and forums. I have resorted to doing a brief update due my current projects raising carer awareness. As of this moment, I am writting fiction carer stories. You can check out my YouTube channel to view those stories. I have around 13 more stories focusing on caring for someone with mental illness, I will then work on stories focusing on caring for someone with cancer and follow that up with a book.

Until then, here are my updates below.

Lewisham Mental Health carer forum

For my Lewisham MH carers forum we had engagement from Mina Hadi who have lived experience of mental health. She is the service user representative for the Patient Carer Race Equality Framework over at East London NHS Foundation Trust.

Mina would have attended my ethnic carer forum, but there was a clash, so we agreed she can present at my Lewisham carer forum. I often say to members of my carer group to network. This is vitally important if carer members are involved in a community project. This is why I try to link up with other groups involved in increasing equity for ethnic minorities using mental health services.

Mina talked about the importance of PCREF and how East London NHS FT is working towards reaching out to marginalised groups. These being diverse ethnic groups, refugees, asylum seekers, the homeless and the LGBTQ community. All are vulnerable to mental illness due to discrimination, stigma and lack of support. Mina talked about what needs to be done and work in progress.

The next speaker was Dr Georgina Charlesworth from University College London.

She is the Associate Professor in Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology.

Her main focus is on dementia where she has wrote a number of papers. Some are shown below

  • Living alone and risk of dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Befriending carers of people with dementia: randomised controlled trial
  • Peer support and reminiscence therapy for people with dementia and their family carers: a factorial pragmatic randomised trial.
  • Examining the Lancet Commission risk factors for dementia using Mendelian randomisation

Dr Georgina was joined by another researcher linked to North East London NHS Foundation Trust. Dr Georgina spoke heavily on the importance of dementia carers. She was impressed that such a carer forum existed and felt that we as a group set an example. Dr Georgina spoke about the problems of stigma and she talked about one of her projects, which was the Carer Supporter Programme within Prof Martin Orrell’s NIHR-funded programme entitled “Support at Home: Interventions to Enhance Life in Dementia”.

The new Alzheimer’s Society service manager for South East London was also due to join us, but were unavailable and I am hoping they will be free next time.

Ethnic mental Health carer forum

This is a forum not bound to a specific area. There should be places for minority ethnic carers to attend, so I often advertise the group to other NHS mental health trusts. The main group members are usually from South London.

The first speaker for this carer group was Abigail Babatunde from Kings College London. She spoke on updates for the project advanced directives black people.

The Advance Statements Project is a research project on getting advance statements – also known as advance choice documents or advance directives – to work for Black African and Caribbean service users who have previously been detained under the Mental Health Act, their carers, and mental health staff.

The goal of the research is to:

  • Help reduce detention under the Mental Health Act for Black service users,
    Support, hear and understand Black service users and their carers/supporters,
  • Know and further understand the issues surrounding using advance choice documents and why staff members may not follow them,
  • Reduce coercive care in mental health care, and to better the relationships between Black service users, their carers/supporters and staff/professionals.

There is a follow up event at the Ortus (Maudsley NHS) below.

The next speaker was Denise Mantell from Bromley council. Bromley Council is currently developing its Carers Strategy and would like to hear from as many carers as possible. Since Oxleas mental health services covers Bromley, it was a chance carers could get to be involved. It would help if the carers strategy involve those caring for someone with mental illness.

Talking about Oxleas NHS Foundation trust, we were joined by Japleen Kaur and Marie-france mutti. They spoke about the new Funding scheme – Improving patient and carer experience grants.

If those within Oxleas have an idea that will improve patient or carer experience, they can bid for funding (up to £750) from our charitable funds. The project ideas need to be developed jointly between members of staff and people who use Oxleas services or care for people who use Oxleas services.

Stages

  1. Application form completed and sent to our Involved Network
  2. Applicant informed of bid outcome
  3. Transfer of funding arranged
  4. Activity takes place
  5. Bidder shares photos/feedback on how funds have been used.

Scheme criteria

• The grant should be spent on enhancing the experience of people using our services and their families
• It should be used for activities/items that are not funded by trust services.
• It should benefit at least three service users.
• All bids need to developed joined with people using our services and staff members.

The first application period for the Improve Fund is open now until 31 May 2023.

If you have a query about the fund, please email: oxl-tr.involved@nhs.net.

Joint Southwark and Lambeth Mental Health Carers forum

Here are the update’s for my other carer forum I run in the afternoon for the last friday of the month. I used to run these forums seperately, but due to covering a lot. I have decided to merge them.

We were delighted to be joined by another speaker from University College London. This was Dr Rebecca Lacey who talked about her study on Young Adult carers in the UK.

This was following off from Carers Trust “Young Carers Action Day”, but unfortunately it was too late for Dr Lacey to attend in March.

Staff from Lambeth Carers Hub attended to hear more on her research.

You can read Dr Lacey’s paper on the link below.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/21/14076

The next speaker was Sarah Allen who is the Head of Patient Experience at Guys & St Thomas NHS FT. The hospital trust is currently working on their Carers Strategy. I often to say to all carers that it is very important to engage with hospital service carers strategy.

It is not enough for a carers strategy to exist, but to be used to hold services to account as in “You Say We did” focus.

GSTT want to involve families and carers in all aspects of their services.

They aim to recognise, value, include and respect carers. Plus treat them as expert partners at the heart of decision making for the person they care for.

I also presented the new NHS England hospital discharge toolkit to the group, there was a bit of confusion as some felt the toolkit was for triangle of care.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/london/our-work/carers-and-hospital-discharge/

In the end I pointed that this was for acute hospital services in London.

I am also pushing to engage with GSTT Cancer and Surgery Clinical Group to raise the profile of cancer carers. Once I have built a group of cancer carers, I am hoping for engagement for that hospital trust especially regarding the cancer group. I am also getting support from Kings NHS and eventually will expand to other hospital trusts.

South West London MH carers group

This group is a hybrid as there is a carer-led peer focus for the first part of the group. The next part is finding out about services and how they are supporting carers.

The group is strictly carer-led and co-facilitated by SW London carer Ava. She does the peer group section, while I will focus on speakers and engagement.

We had a great turnout as all 5 carer centre’s help promote the group, but we can out of time for the peer support section. The group seeks engagement from the local mental health trust South West London & St George, but this can be difficult, probably lack of staff maybe? Still we got engagement from Kingston Hospital who have a strong carer focus.

We where joined by Beth Mburu who is one of the Clinical Liaison Practitioners. Kingston Hospital is working on their carers focus and Beth talked about the following

  • Hosp. Discharge Planning Toolkit (aimed at staff)
  • Carers’ Needs Assessment Template (augmenting and embedding the Carers’ Agreement)
  • Carers’ Passport
  • Triangle of Care – hospital self-assessment tool and lessons learned/embedded
  • Resource for first time Carers / people who give their time to support a vulnerable person
  • National resources -already in existence from Carers’ UK – communicate and disseminate to the right people
  • Live/real-time digital tool aimed at Carers’ drawing together local provision and resources
  • Safe Transitions of Care – checklist for front-line staff
  • Hospital checklist / advice and Information

Kingston hospital NHS FT also had a carers event on the 4th of May to engage with carers and let them know about the work they are doing to support carers.

Again I am also focusing on engagement from the hospital’s cancer services to prepare for my cancer carer group. It is important to know who does what and how they focus on cancer carers.