Tag Archives: carers week

Hospital Carer Discharge Meeting – May Update 2026

By Matthew McKenzie – Chair of the Carers Hospital Discharge group

Hospital discharge remains one of the most critical and stressful moments for unpaid carers, patients and healthcare professionals alike. During the recent Carers Hospital Discharge Group meeting held in May 2026, professionals, carers, NHS leaders, hospital representatives and community organisations came together to discuss major developments affecting carers across London and beyond.

The Carers Hospital Discharge meeting runs every 2 months and for the month of May we discussed improving hospital discharge processes, strengthening carer identification, digital inclusion, community support and the growing role of technology in healthcare planning.

The blog update is for those unable to attend, here is a summary of the key discussions, presentations, questions and responses shared during the session.

Universal Care Plan Expansion Through the NHS App

One of the biggest updates came from NHS England, who shared exciting news about the expansion of the Universal Care Plan (UCP).

The new development allows patients and members of the public to begin creating their own Universal Care Plans directly through the NHS App. Previously, only clinicians could initiate many aspects of these plans.

NHS England explained that editable sections now include areas such as:

  • “What matters to me”
  • Communication preferences
  • Care and contingency plans
  • Personal support needs

Clinical sections, however, remain under healthcare professional control.

Updates described the project as a major milestone after years of discussion about allowing people greater control over their own care information.

Question from attendee:

“Will carers be able to input on behalf of their cared-for person?”

response from presenter:

At present, carers cannot directly complete plans on behalf of another person due to safeguarding and proxy access concerns. However, carers can still complete their own care contingency plans within the system.

It was explained that this means if a carer suddenly becomes unable to provide care, emergency services and healthcare providers would be alerted that a contingency plan exists.

They also noted that community organisations could potentially support individuals with completing plans, provided appropriate governance and data security arrangements are in place.

The discussion highlighted both the opportunities and challenges of balancing digital access with safeguarding responsibilities

*****

For more developments on the Universal Care PLan, I have provided the link below of the recent Webinar

UCP Webinar: Supporting Patient Editable Access to the Universal Care Plan – Guidance for Professionals (May 2026)
https://vimeo.com/1190395114/37af950076?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

New Research on Social Networks and Healthcare Support

Matthew McKenzie introduced an emerging research project led by Queen Mary University of London alongside several major universities including Harvard, Oxford and Warwick.

The project aims to explore how patients’ social support networks influence health outcomes, hospital admissions and long-term wellbeing.

Researchers are developing tools to map patients’ support systems, including:

  • Family carers
  • Friends
  • Peer groups
  • Community support
  • Online social networks

The project seeks to better understand how strong support systems can improve self-management and reduce avoidable hospital admissions.

Matthew explained that researchers are particularly interested in understanding:

  • Whether support network mapping would feel helpful or intrusive
  • How carers should be recognised within healthcare systems
  • How cultural differences affect support networks
  • What safeguards around privacy and consent are needed

The proposal sparked interest among attendees because it reflects a wider NHS shift toward community-based care and prevention.

NHS England connected the project to wider work around “family group conferencing,” where whole-family approaches are used to plan care and support more collaboratively.

NHS England’s Urgent and Emergency Care Strategy 2025/26

A major section of the meeting focused on NHS England’s emerging Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) Strategy.

Matthew presented some notes on NHS England UEC outlining plans to:

  • Reduce avoidable hospital admissions
  • Deliver more care within communities
  • Expand digital healthcare access
  • Improve hospital discharge pathways
  • Strengthen operational efficiency

Key proposals included:

  • AI-enabled triage systems
  • NHS App navigation tools
  • Digitally coordinated urgent care
  • Expanded community-based treatment
  • Greater use of early intervention models

However, the discussion quickly moved toward the potential risks associated with rapid digital transformation.

Participants concerns:

Representatives covering Hospitals, raised important concerns about how discharge pressures could negatively affect carers.:

“If somebody urgently needs that hospital bed, the pressure becomes getting people discharged quickly. That may not always leave enough time to identify carers properly.”

They stressed that carer identification should happen throughout the patient journey not only during discharge.

They highlighted opportunities for identification during:

  • Outpatient appointments
  • Pre-assessment clinics
  • Routine hospital interactions

Concerns About Digital Poverty

Another major concern involved digital exclusion.

Participants warned that:

  • Older people
  • People with dementia
  • Individuals without smartphones
  • People facing poverty
  • Non-English speakers
  • Neurodivergent individuals

could all struggle if urgent care becomes too dependent on digital systems.

It was mentioned that meeting carers who still rely entirely on phone calls rather than online platforms and stressed the need for alternative accessible routes into care.

Others agreed and referenced an Equality Impact Assessment linked to the NHS 10-Year Plan, which explores risks around digital inequality and vulnerable groups being left behind.

Equalities Impact Assessment – 10 Year Health Plan for England
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equalities-impact-assessment-10-year-health-plan-for-england/equalities-impact-assessment-10-year-health-plan-for-england

You can find out more about the UEC below

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26

Carers Week Preparations Across London and Beyond

Many organisations shared updates on activities planned for Carers Week 2026

NHS England

NHS England Carers Week 2026 – ‘Building Carer Friendly Communities’

https://www.events.england.nhs.uk/nhs-england-carers-week-2026-building-carer-friendly-communities

Kingston Carers Network

KCNshared plans for:

  • Benefits advice sessions
  • Afternoon tea events
  • Mental health awareness activities
  • Community picnics
  • Outreach work with carers across Kingston

A major highlight will be the attendance of Sir Ed Davey, who is himself a well-known advocate for unpaid carers due to his own lived experience caring for family members. His involvement is expected to help raise awareness of the challenges carers face daily.

KCN also spoke about Kingston Carers Network’s ongoing efforts to strengthen links with Kingston Hospital. The organisation already receives referrals through the hospital’s carers liaison department, helping unpaid carers access emotional support, information and practical guidance following hospital admissions or discharge.

However, KCN is now trying to expand its presence inside the hospital itself through more direct face-to-face outreach work. Plans are being discussed to establish regular information stands within hospital settings so carers can receive support earlier and more proactively.

KCN explained that while these conversations are progressing, coordinating regular in-hospital outreach remains challenging due to logistical pressures and scheduling issues. Despite this, the organisation continues to work closely with hospital teams to improve visibility and engagement with carers.

Beyond hospital settings, Kingston Carers Network continues to deliver several outreach programmes throughout the borough. Staff regularly attend local groups, community spaces and events to identify carers who may not realise support is available to them.

North Central London Carers Support Project

Eleanor updated the group on work taking place across:

  • Barnet
  • Camden
  • Enfield
  • Haringey
  • Islington

The project works in partnership with multiple NHS trusts and carers organisations across North Central London with the aim of creating a more consistent and coordinated approach to identifying and supporting unpaid carers.

At the centre of the programme is the development of a standard operating procedure for carers within hospitals and healthcare settings. The goal is to ensure carers are recognised earlier, referred more efficiently and supported more consistently regardless of which hospital or borough they engage with.

One of the project’s biggest developments has been the creation of a dedicated carers referral website. Eleanor explained that the system is designed to simplify the referral process for healthcare professionals. When a referral is submitted through the portal, the system automatically directs the carer to the appropriate local carers organisation based on their postcode.

The intention is to remove confusion for hospital staff while helping carers access support much faster.

Eleanor described the project as an effort to make support pathways:

  • Easier for professionals to navigate
  • More accessible for carers
  • Better integrated across borough boundaries
  • Less dependent on individual staff knowledge

A major focus of the project continues to be embedding carer awareness into everyday hospital practice.

Carer Awareness Training Expanding Across Hospitals

The team has made significant progress with carer awareness training sessions delivered across several NHS trusts.

Regular drop-in training sessions are now taking place with:

  • The Whittington Trust
  • The Royal Free
  • North London Mental Health Trust services

Eleanor shared that attendance at some sessions has now exceeded 40 healthcare staff members, which she described as a major success.

The training focuses on:

  • Identifying unpaid carers earlier
  • Understanding carers’ rights and needs
  • Improving referral pathways
  • Increasing staff confidence when supporting carers
  • Embedding carer recognition into routine clinical practice

Importantly, the project measures the effectiveness of these sessions using confidence ratings before and after training. Eleanor reported that most staff attending show at least a one- or two-level increase in confidence around identifying and supporting carers after participating.

North Central London’s Focus on Carers Week and Community Engagement

Preparations for Carers Week are also a major priority for the project.

The team plans to host information stalls and awareness events at several hospitals including:

  • The Whittington Hospital
  • University College London Hospital (UCLH)
  • Barnet Hospital

These events aim to:

  • Raise awareness of unpaid carers
  • Promote available support services
  • Encourage hospital staff to make referrals
  • Help carers connect with local organisations

Lewisham Council Developments

Updates from Lewisham was on the ongoing work taking place across Lewisham to improve support for unpaid carers, particularly through closer collaboration between hospitals, carers organisations and local commissioners.

A major development has been Lewisham Hospital’s involvement in the South East London pilot programme focused on creating a standard operating procedure for carers across NHS trusts. The pilot aims to improve consistency in how carers are identified, supported and referred within hospital settings.

It was explained that Lewisham Hospital has been working closely with Imago, the borough’s commissioned carers support provider, to strengthen partnerships with hospital nursing teams and improve awareness of carers across wards and services.

Particular emphasis is now being placed on:

  • Increasing carer awareness training
  • Improving communication between services
  • Embedding carer identification into routine hospital practice
  • Strengthening links between healthcare and community support

Inspired by discussions during the meeting, it was also highlighted plans to explore integrating carer identification into regular auditing and review processes within hospital settings similar to initiatives already underway in other trusts.

Redesigning Lewisham’s Future Carers Service

One of the most significant updates involved the redesign of Lewisham’s carers support service model.

They shared that the current commissioned contract for carers services is due to end in January 2027, and work is already underway to shape the next phase of support provision.

Importantly, unpaid carers themselves are playing a central role in developing the new model.

A series of co-production sessions has been held with carers across the borough to ensure their lived experiences directly influence future service design. These discussions are helping shape priorities around:

  • Access to support
  • Communication with carers
  • Outreach and identification
  • Emotional wellbeing services
  • Practical support needs
  • Hospital discharge experiences

The borough hopes to move into procurement for the redesigned service later this year.

Carers Hub Lambeth

Carers Hub Lambeth shared an update on the organisation’s ongoing work supporting unpaid carers across King’s College Hospital and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trusts.

Although the current hospital carers project funding has been extended for an additional six months, Jen explained that the programme is now approaching its final phase, with funding currently due to end in September 2026.

As a result, the team’s main focus is now on ensuring hospitals become as self-sufficient as possible in identifying and supporting carers once the dedicated project ends.

Expanding Carer Awareness Training

A major priority for Lambeth Carers Hub is expanding carer awareness training for healthcare professionals.

It was explained that the organisation has:

  • Increased training sessions from once to twice monthly
  • Begun arranging bespoke sessions with individual hospital teams
  • Expanded engagement with primary care networks
  • Updated training materials to address barriers to carer identification

The training aims to help healthcare staff:

  • Recognise unpaid carers earlier
  • Understand carers’ support needs
  • Improve referral pathways
  • Build confidence in conversations with carers
  • Embed carers into routine healthcare practice

Carers Hub Lambeth acknowledged that while training sessions often generate an immediate increase in referrals, maintaining long-term momentum remains challenging.

It was mentioned that a familiar pattern where professionals attend training, referrals increase temporarily, and then gradually reduce again as competing clinical pressures take over.

Because of this, the organisation is now trying to better understand:

  • Why carers continue to be missed
  • What barriers staff face in identifying carers
  • How carer awareness can become part of everyday practice rather than an additional task

This reflects a wider challenge discussed throughout the meeting — ensuring carer support becomes embedded within healthcare systems rather than dependent on individual staff enthusiasm.

Embedding Carer Recognition Into Everyday Hospital Practice

One of the most practical discussions came from GESH update on integrating carers into routine hospital auditing processes.

St George’s and Epsom and St Helier Hospitals are now:

  • Adding carer identification questions into ward audits
  • Including carers within routine quality checks
  • Training volunteers to identify carers on wards
  • Embedding carers into “business as usual” practice

Wendy also spoke extensively about the NHS “Reasonable Adjustments Digital Flag,” a major NHS initiative designed to ensure patients’ accessibility needs are recognised across services.

The system aims to help hospitals and GP services better identify:

  • Communication needs
  • Disabilities
  • Neurodivergence
  • Mental health conditions
  • Carer-related support needs

The long-term goal is for healthcare systems to automatically recognise and share reasonable adjustment requirements across services.

Final Reflections

The meeting demonstrated both optimism and concern about the future direction of health and social care.

There was strong agreement that:

  • Community-based care is necessary
  • Earlier intervention can prevent hospital admissions
  • Carers must be identified earlier
  • Digital systems offer opportunities

However, participants repeatedly stressed that healthcare transformation must not leave vulnerable people behind.

Carers remain central to safe discharge, patient wellbeing and long-term community support. As NHS services increasingly move toward digital and community-led models, ensuring carers are recognised, supported and included will remain critical.

The next Carers Hospital Discharge Group meeting is expected to take place in July 2026.

Lewisham, Southwark & Lambeth carer forum update May 2026

Update by Matthew McKenzie – Chair of South London Mental Health Carers Forum

The South London Mental Health Carers Group met for the month of May for a wide-ranging and thoughtful discussion covering carers’ experiences, mental health support systems, involvement opportunities, and an important research presentation focused on support networks and long-term care.

The group covers areas of Lewisham, Southwark, Lambeth & Croydon, although Mental Health Carers from outside those areas are welcime to attend

The session brought together carers, advocates, involvement leads, and guest speaker Dr Anna De Simone from Queen Mary University of London. As always, the discussion highlighted both the challenges carers continue to face and the value of shared lived experience and peer support.

Opening Discussions: Challenges in Mental Health Care Systems

The meeting began with carers sharing experiences of navigating mental health services for loved ones with complex needs. There was extensive discussion around:

  • difficulties accessing appropriate placements,
  • safeguarding concerns,
  • discharge planning,
  • lack of continuity between NHS trusts and local authorities,
  • and ongoing challenges around funding responsibility between different services.

A recurring issue raised was the pressure on inpatient beds and the concern that discharge decisions can sometimes feel driven more by system pressures than by clinical readiness. Carers spoke openly about the emotional impact of repeatedly having to advocate for vulnerable loved ones while navigating fragmented systems.

There was also discussion around the importance of carers being recognised and included in communication and planning processes. Participants highlighted how carers are often the people most aware of deterioration, risks, or safeguarding concerns, and how vital it is that services engage meaningfully with families and informal supporters where appropriate.

Despite frustrations, carers also acknowledged examples of good practice and supportive professionals within mental health services. Several attendees noted that they had seen gradual improvements in carer involvement and listening exercises within parts of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLAM), particularly in Lambeth.

Updates on Carer Involvement and Support Activities

The group received updates from carers and representatives involved in local mental health engagement work and carers’ organisations.

Carers Week Activities

Karen from Carers Hub Lambeth shared details of upcoming Carers Week activities, including:

  • outreach events,
  • wellbeing sessions,
  • information stalls,
  • and activities for both adult and young carers.

The events aim to provide carers with opportunities for support, networking, practical advice, and wellbeing activities.

Here is more info on Carers Week 2026

https://www.carersweek.org/about-carers-week/latest-news/posts-folder/2026/january/carers-week-dates-for-2026

SLAM and Carer Involvement

There was also discussion around changes and developments within SLAM involvement structures, including:

  • continuation of family and carers meetings,
  • changes to involvement leads,
  • and ongoing reviews of the involvement register.

Attendees reflected positively on the increasing recognition of carers’ voices in some forums and clinical meetings, while acknowledging that there is still much work to do to ensure consistent involvement across all boroughs and services.

Guest Presentation: Mapping Patient Support Networks

The second half of the meeting focused on a presentation from Dr Anna De Simone, GP and Associate Professor of Primary Care at Queen Mary University of London.

Anna introduced a proposed research project exploring how healthcare systems might better understand and map patients’ support networks using electronic health records and social network tools.

The research proposal focuses particularly on patients with long-term conditions such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), many of whom also experience multiple additional health conditions and varying levels of social isolation.

The Core Idea

Anna explained that while healthcare professionals can currently access limited information such as next of kin or household members, they often lack a fuller understanding of:

  • who actually supports the patient,
  • how reliable that support is,
  • whether support networks are connected or fragmented,
  • and how socially isolated a patient may be.

The proposed research would explore whether creating visual “maps” of support networks could help:

  • improve care planning,
  • reduce crises,
  • improve coordination between services,
  • and enhance patients’ quality of life.

The project would also examine how social prescribing, community services, online support groups, and carers fit into these wider support networks.

Carers’ Feedback on the Research Proposal

The discussion following Anna’s presentation was extremely rich and constructive, with carers offering both enthusiasm and important cautionary perspectives.

Strong Support for the Concept

Many attendees felt the project addressed an important gap in healthcare planning. Several carers spoke about how informal support networks had been essential to helping them or their loved ones survive periods of crisis.

Participants agreed that professionals often underestimate the role played by:

  • friends,
  • neighbours,
  • online communities,
  • peer groups,
  • and unpaid carers.

The ability to visualise these networks was seen as potentially valuable for both professionals and patients themselves.

Importance of Non-Traditional Support Networks

A strong theme throughout the discussion was that support does not always come from family.

Some carers explained that family relationships can sometimes be unsafe or abusive, and that support may instead come from trusted friends, neighbours, carers’ groups, or online communities.

The group stressed that any future system should avoid assuming that family automatically equals safety or support.

Online Communities and Digital Support

Participants also highlighted the increasing importance of online support systems.

Several carers explained that:

  • Zoom groups,
  • Facebook communities,
  • online peer support,
  • and digital communication
    can provide essential social connection, especially for disabled or isolated people.

One participant noted that online support networks had directly helped them access practical support and reduce isolation when physical mobility was limited.

At the same time, carers cautioned that not everyone has equal access to digital services. Concerns were raised about:

  • digital exclusion,
  • accessibility barriers,
  • lack of digital skills,
  • and the risk of widening inequalities.

The importance of offering both digital and non-digital forms of support was strongly emphasised.

Privacy, Consent, and Mental Health

Carers also discussed potential challenges around privacy and consent, particularly for people experiencing paranoia or severe mental illness.

Some attendees noted that patients may not always feel comfortable sharing details about their social networks, and that trust and safeguarding would need to be central to any future system.

There was discussion about the delicate balance between:

  • confidentiality,
  • safety,
  • carer involvement,
  • and patient autonomy.

Role of Social Prescribers

The group generally agreed that social prescribers could play an important role in helping patients map support networks, because they often have more time and a stronger focus on community support than standard GP appointments allow.

However, concerns were raised about long-term funding and sustainability for social prescribing services.

Looking Ahead

Anna thanked the group for their detailed feedback and explained that carers’ insights would help shape the next stage of the research proposal before submission later this year.

There was strong interest from attendees in remaining involved should the project move forward, particularly around future patient and public involvement opportunities.

The meeting once again demonstrated the depth of knowledge, experience, and expertise held by unpaid carers. The discussion reflected not only the challenges carers continue to face, but also the importance of ensuring carers are recognised as essential partners in both healthcare delivery and future research.

Lewisham, Southwark & Lambeth Mental Health carer forum – June 2025 update

About the Forum:
The Lewisham, Lambeth & Southwark Carers Forum is a collaborative online space that brings together unpaid carers, carer leads, mental health professionals, and support organizations to share experiences, raise concerns, and influence change. Focused primarily on mental health caregiving, the forum serves as a platform for peer support, policy updates, training insights, and service development. Led by carer advocate Matthew McKenzie, the group fosters empowerment through regular discussions, creative expression, and co-produced solutions, ensuring carers’ voices are heard across local systems and beyond.

Carers Week Collaboration Discussion

The meeting began with introductions from Matthew McKenzie, who leads a merged online carers group, and other participants including Yvonne, a carers navigator at Southwark Carers, and Margaret, a carer representative with the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The group discussed Carers Week activities and their various roles in supporting carers across different organizations. Karen Hooper, connected with the Lambeth Living Well Collaborative, while Lee Roach, the carers lead for South London & Maudsley in Lambeth, shared his involvement with the Trustwide Family and Carers Committee.

Continue reading →

Voices of Mental Health Carers: Poetry & Stories

The Power of Poetry and Storytelling in the Lives of Carers

Caring for a loved one with mental health challenges or chronic illness is a journey marked by both hardship and hope. Too often, the voices of carers those who provide unpaid, tireless support are overlooked in the broader conversation about health and wellbeing. Yet, as this moving gathering of carers and poets reveals, storytelling and poetry can be transformative tools for connection, healing, and advocacy. So it was an honour to host our first poetry event at Cygnet Churchill for the 13th of June during Carers Week 2025

This Blog explores the themes, experiences, and creative expressions shared by carers, drawing from a vibrant community event centered on poetry, storytelling, and the lived realities of those who care. Through their words, we gain insight into the emotional landscape of caring, the challenges faced, and the resilience that emerges when stories are shared.

To watch the performance, please view the video below.

Giving Carers a Voice: The Motivation Behind the Book

The host of the event was myself (Matthew McKenzie), as a prolific author and advocate, where I have dedicated my eighth book to amplifying the voices of mental health carers. For me, books are more than just a means of communication they are a way to reach people who might otherwise remain unheard.

Continue reading →

Triangle of Care Community group update May 2025

Here is a brief update of the Triangle of Care Community group for the month of May 2025. The Triangle of Care Community group is a collaborative forum that champions the voices of unpaid carers in mental health services. The group works in partnership with service users, carers, and professionals to embed the principles of the Triangle of Care, promoting shared decision-making, improved communication, and recognition of carers as equal partners in care.

Our most recent meeting brought together carers, NHS professionals, researchers, and advocates from across the UK, including representatives from Kent, Bristol, Lewisham, East Sussex, and Hertfordshire. The atmosphere was one of mutual respect, knowledge-sharing, and a shared drive to improve the experience of care for carers and their loved ones.

The meeting covered updates on Triangle of Care developments, including recent accreditations and ongoing pilots to adapt the model for various healthcare and social settings. Presentations were given on research studies related to mental health care, including pharmacist prescribers’ roles and experiences of underserved older male carers. The group also discussed campaigns for increased research funding in serious mental illnesses and initiatives to support carers, such as Carers Roadshows.

Triangle of Care Expansion Updates

Mary Patel one of the Triangle of Care leads, provided an update on Triangle of Care developments and accreditations. Several healthcare providers have recently gained Star awards. There are ongoing pilots to adapt Triangle of Care for social care settings and to incorporate criteria for better support of racially marginalized carers. Mary announced that the Triangle of Care community group will be formally brought on board with Carers Trust, with Matthew as the inaugural chair for a 2-year term. They are looking to bring on co-chairs to support Matthew in his role.

Triangle of Care Implementation Updates

The group discusses recent achievements in implementing the Triangle of Care model across various healthcare organizations. Gabrielle Richards who leads on carers at South London & Maudsley reported that her trust successfully completed their Star 2 accreditation assessment for community services.

Matthew McKenzie shared a video poem he created about the Triangle of Care as it was shown during the peer review at South London & Maudsley.

Kelvin thanked Gabrielle for her contributions as she prepares to leave her role. Louise from Kent and Medway NHS Trust reported they maintained their second star accreditation and have implemented new processes to ensure carer considerations are included in policy development.

https://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/carers/triangle-of-care/

Mental Health Care Research Study

Richard introduced Bashir Al Saeed, a PhD student from the University of Manchester, to present their research study on the experiences of people with mental illness and their carers when receiving care from pharmacist prescribers in the community.

Bashir explains that the study aims to understand and improve care provided by pharmacist prescribers for people with mental illnesses in community-based settings. Participants will be asked to take part in a one-hour interview and will receive £30 as compensation.

The study is seeking individuals aged 18 or older with mental illnesses or their unpaid carers who have received care from pharmacist prescribers in the UK. A discussion follows about the inclusion criteria, particularly regarding the requirement for fluency in English, with concerns raised about potential issues against non-English speakers

Mental Health Research Campaign Initiative

The group discussed a campaign for better research into long-term serious mental illness in working-age people. Irene explained that they have been working on this campaign for a year, collaborating with experts from Oxford and the Welcome Trust.

The campaign aims to gather signatures and includes a short video. Irene emphasizes the importance of this initiative, as many in their group have loved ones who have been ill since their teens and are now in their thirties and forties.

You can find out more about the campaign from the link below.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/725846

Advocating for Psychosis Research Funding

The discussion focuses on a petition to increase government funding for research into psychosis, including its diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Irene passionately advocates for more effective medications with fewer side effects, emphasizing the need for better understanding of the underlying causes of psychosis. A carer shared personal experiences of her son’s struggles with mental illness and medication side effects. The group discusses the importance of signing and sharing the petition to gain government support for accelerated research in this area.

Pharmacist Prescribing for Mental Health

The discussion focuses on pharmacists prescribing for mental health conditions. Richard explains that some pharmacists, especially those with specialized training, are caring for people with mental illnesses in various settings. However, the extent of their involvement in prescribing and monitoring is still unclear. A carer expressed concern about pharmacists prescribing for severe conditions like bipolar disorder without extensive training. The group discusses the need for proper qualifications and access to medical records. Richard emphasizes that the study aims to understand and improve the care provided by pharmacist prescribers in community services.

Carers Roadshows: Community Support Network

Trevor a carer involved at Notts NHS described his Carers Roadshows, which he has been organizing since 2013. These free events bring together various organizations dealing with health, mental health, and social care to provide information and support to carers and patients.

Trevor emphasizes the importance of communication in triangular care and sees the roadshows as an effective, sustainable tool for fostering connections between different organizations and the community. He expresses his ambition to expand the roadshows across the country, particularly in London boroughs, and offers to help others create their own roadshows using his four-step guide.

Older Male Carers Advisory Group

Steve Owen from the University of Hertfordshire presents his research project on exploring the experiences of underserved older male carers. The project aims to set up an advisory group of 7-10 older men, particularly from minority ethnic groups, same-sex relationships, and rural/coastal areas, to meet from June to December 2025.

The research group will discuss the benefits and challenges of caring, gender dynamics, and access to support. The project’s goals are to develop a grant proposal for further research and improve advisory group guidelines. Steve is still recruiting participants and welcomes help in sharing information about the project.

Final Reflections

The session highlighted both the progress and the gaps still faced by carers, particularly around communication, access to services, and recognition. The Triangle of Care model continues to be a vital tool in bridging these gaps, but it is the commitment of carers and professionals alike that drives real change.

“Thank you for another great meeting Matthew and everyone.” – Linda Thomas
“These meetings have been such a resource for us all.” – Gabrielle Richards
“Powerful video, powerful voices. Thank you everyone.” – Claire Wood

I’m proud to be involved and help lead as triangle of care community as Chair and look forward to building our impact together. If you’re interested in co-chairing or getting more involved, please reach out let’s continue to shape mental health care that values and includes carers at every level.

How Unpaid Carers Can Lobby the Government for Change | Advocacy Tips & Strategies

Introduction

Hello everyone, it’s Matthew McKenzie here with another lecture aimed at unpaid carers. As you can see from the title, I’m in carer activist mode, which is basically what I am. And when I say carer, I’m talking about unpaid carers, those that care for someone living with a long-term illness. In this lecture, we will focus on effective ways for carers to lobby the government and create change.

To see the video lecture, see below.

Why Lobby Now?

Urgent Issues

You might be thinking, why am I making this sort of video now? The NHS is due to undergo significant changes, which will cause a lot of problems and challenges, especially for carers.

Continue reading →

Carers Week 2024 – Help put carers on the map

Hello everyone. I am Matthew McKenzie, Carer Activist, poet and author. Volunteer for Carers UK, Carers Trust and Macmillan Cancer support to raise awareness of unpaid carers using my lived experience of caring.

At the time of this blog post it is Carers Week 2024. Carers Week 2024 could not arrive at such a better time, especially with an election happening.

For Carers Week 2024, the theme is “Putting Carers on the Map”. I know many carers are facing so many challenges in their role. This could be down to difficultly providing unpaid care, getting engagement from health & Social care services or even being identified as carers.

Many carers up and down the country can be easily hidden, they carry on with their caring role unaware of the support that can be offered to them.

With an election due to take place, the chance to put carers on the map has never been greater. It is an excellent chance to use our voices, experience of care and connections to continue to raise awareness.

So I am counting on many to help raise that much needed awareness of Carers Week. If you are a carer, health professional or someone with lived experience, it might be worth looking out for events from 10th of June to the 16th of June.

I will continue to write and promote carer events nationwide and do all I can to help raise awareness of carers, I hope you can as well. You can sign a pledge on the Carers Week website or you can run an event yourself. There is nothing too small to place carers on the map.

Poem for Carers Week

For carers week to share
It helps to be aware
That if you really care
Listen up for your own welfare

Its best you are not ignored
Noted a carer to be on record
For support is your reward
So social care back onboard

For Carers week is here
With events to promote and shareb
Its worth attending, just be there
To learn about unpaid care

So please dont be ignored
It something you cant afford
Support and help explored
Faith in the system restored

Barclays Bank – Carers Week Awareness event

Welcome back to another blog post by carer activist and author Matthew McKenzie.

It has come to the end of Carers Week 2023. I decided to do one last final event after a successful carers week. This event was located at Barclays Bank over in Croydon.

As part of their support for Carers Week 2023, Barclays Bank was promoting Carers UK information and resources at their flagship UK branches below. As a Carers UK Community Connector volunteer I felt I could help raise awareness of Carers Week with Barclays’ customers.

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.

This would allow me to connect with unpaid carers who could access support.

Just so you know Carers UK is a national charity looking to make life better for the 5.7 million carers across the UK.

As it stands, a carer is a person of any age who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, friend or neighbour who is disabled, has an illness or long-term condition, or who needs extra help as they grow older.

So with the awareness campaign of Carers Week, it helped to promote awareness of caring and promote access to support for carers. Just by chance across the road Barclays bank in Croydon, was also the Carers Information service.

The Carers Information Service provides information, advice and support for carers living in, or caring for someone who lives in, the London Borough of Croydon. The staff were kind to provide me some leaflets incase I need to refer carers there.

I spent several hours that saturday speaking to customers who wanted to know more about Carers UK. I also brought some samaritan cards along. Staff at the bank were kind and supportive. There was a focus on community spirit as the bank wants to support people from all walks of life, including carers.

Barclays Bank also have information available on their website for customers if they are needing to set up access to support someone they are caring for https://www.barclays.co.uk/third-party-access/

Thanks for reading.