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.
By Matthew McKenzie – Carer activist, poet and author
Welcome to a brief update of my ethnic mental health carer group, held monthly.
The meeting began with introductions and technical discussions on connecting to zoom, followed by presentations on research related to mental health care and carer support, particularly focusing on minority communities and paranoia. The group discussed various initiatives including a community intervention study, a carer experience questionnaire, and progress updates on Patient Carer Race Equality Framework reporting across different NHS regions. The conversation ended with discussions on challenges faced by minority carers, including access to mental health services and the need for better support systems, with calls for national collaboration and improved respite services.
Summary
Carer Support Network Expansion Discussion
The meeting began with Matthew introducing the session and addressing technical issues faced by some participants, including a participants video problems, which were resolved. Matthew explained his recent laptop issues and mentioned his involvement with Carers Trust regarding Triangle of Care. The group discussed the expansion of their focus with minority carers and the importance of connecting and networking across the UK. Juliana, a researcher, provided an overview of her work, and participants introduced themselves, sharing their roles and experiences related to mental health care and carer support. The conversation ended with a brief overview of upcoming presentations and discussions.
By Matthew McKenzie, Carer Ambassador, Cygnet Health Care
On Friday 13th June 2025, I had the privilege of attending and speaking at Cygnet Health Care’s National Carers Event, hosted at Cygnet Churchill in Lambeth, London. The event brought together carers, staff, professionals, and advocates to reflect on the vital role of unpaid carers who step up daily out of love, resilience, and responsibility, often with little recognition.
Carers Week is always a powerful reminder that caring touches us all – and Cygnet’s event this year was especially moving and informative. It offered a platform for carers to share their lived experience, influence policy, and strengthen our collective voice.
Agenda Highlights
The day opened with a warm welcome from Laura Sheridan & Shane Mills, setting the tone for a day grounded in empathy and collaboration. We heard from a range of speakers including:
Susan Hartnell-Beavis, sharing practical tools for supporting carers.
Kate Mercer and Carly Ellicott, who both championed carer involvement in care planning and research.
John Bangs OBE, who brought a national perspective on carer rights and policy.
Dr Angela Misra, who tackled the health implications of caregiving.
Julian de Takats and Matthew McKenzie (myself), focusing on empowering carers’ voices.
We also had insights from Dr Henk Swanepoel & Sophie Borg, who presented on collaborative approaches with carers in mental health services.
Written by: Matthew McKenzie – WLHT co-facilitator of ethnic carer group and Triangle of Care Community Chair
The Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith was filled with warmth and purpose on June 12th, as carers, professionals, and community leaders came together for the West London NHS Trust’s Carers Event in support of Carers Week 2025.
As Chair of the Triangle of Care Community and an involved carer for West London NHS Trust, I was interested in the carers conversations, and sense of solidarity among all those present.
Help raise awareness for unpaid mental health carers during Carers Week 2025. Learn how to support and recognize their vital, often unseen role in society. To watch the video of this blog, click the video below
Recognizing the Unseen: The Vital Role of Unpaid Carers in Mental Health
Every year, Carers Week serves as a powerful reminder of the millions of individuals who dedicate their lives to supporting loved ones with health challenges often without recognition, compensation, or adequate support.
The meeting focused on carer involvement and representation across different regions, with participants discussing their roles in supporting carers and addressing discrimination. The main focus for this meeting was on “What does good look like?” when it comes to Triangle of Care and PCREF.
The group explored the Triangle of Care initiative and its five key elements, including discussions about medication-related challenges and the need for better communication between healthcare providers and carers. The conversation ended with conversations about improving carer support systems, including the importance of advocacy, training, and creating safe spaces for carers to share concerns confidentially.
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.
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.
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.
On May 1st, 2025, Cygnet Health Care hosted its landmark Co-Production in Commissioning Conference at the iconic Villa Park, Birmingham. More than just a professional gathering, the event was a manifesto for a more inclusive, compassionate, and equitable model of care, driven by people with lived experience, carers, clinicians, and commissioners alike.
Packed with powerful keynotes, practical models, and heartfelt stories, the day was as emotionally resonant as it was strategically focused.
The Importance of Ethnic Minority Mental Health Carer Voices: Empowering Unpaid Carers from the Global Majority by Matthew McKenzie
In today’s world, the voices of ethnic minority carers in mental health services must be heard and valued. The National Ethnic Mental Health Carers Forum meeting, held on March 28, 2025, underscored the vital role that co-production and lived experience play in shaping better services for those who care for loved ones with mental health needs.
By Triangle of Care community chair Matthew McKenzie FRSA BEM
For the month of March, unpaid carers, NHS professionals, and key stakeholders came together for another Triangle of Care National Community Meeting, which is a powerful space of collaboration, reflection, and shared purpose. Chaired by Matthew, the meeting spotlighted significant developments in carer engagement, mental health service standards, and equity frameworks across the NHS.
A Caring Mind 