The Different Ways in Which Carers Can Become

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• The Different Ways in Which Carers Can Become
• Involved in Promoting
• The Development of Services

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• Peter Woodhams
• Carer
• Carers in Partnership

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Early Stages of Involvement

• Do you think there is anything I can do to
  contribute
• Contact with local active carer development of
  new group
• Associate Manager at local hospital
• Talk at Meriden awards ceremony
• One thing led to another new application of
  work skills

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Becoming an Active Carer Locally

• Voluntary involvement
• Development of local active carers group
• Acute Care Forum
• Assertive Outreach Service Development Group
• Interview panels/speaking at local training
  courses

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From Local to Regional

• West Midlands Carers in Partnership (CiP) group
  attended on voluntary basis
• Regional conferences and meetings
• Carer representative on Meriden Advisory Group
• Paid, part-time post with CiP became
  available/Rethink/field worker

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Regional Involvement

• What is Carers in Partnership?
• Agreed work programme both for groups and for me
• Development of Active Carers Groups
• Leading on Black Ethnic Minority (BME) carer
  development work
• Good Practice for Carers event
• Royal College of Psychiatrists

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National Involvement

• No established mechanisms for national carer
  representations who you know
• Psycho Social Intervention Group
• Royal College of Psychiatrists
• - Carer involvement in training initiative
• - Annual meeting
• - National Patients and Carers Committee

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Working with Meriden

• Promoter of family work
• Chair of Meriden Advisory Group
• Regular speaker on training courses
• Attended Training Trainers course
• Carer Education Project/Trainer
• Written chapter for book A Casebook of Family
  Interventions for Psychosis

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Summary of Involvement Outlets for Carers

• Local services
• Regional forums
• Involvement in the training of professionals
• - Local
• - University/professional
• Participating in consultations
• Speaking at conferences and mental health
  promotion events
• The written word
• Involvement with mental health charities

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Suggestions for Effective Carer Involvement

• Local active carers group
• Coordinated representation
• Serves as a reference group
• Training for members
• Support of carer worker
• Skills development training
• Importance of allies
• Avoid personal grievances
• Positive and constructive

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Suggestions for Effective Carer Involvement
(contd)

• Convert anger
• Importance of carer attendance at meetings
• Patience
• Mentoring
• Payment/fee/expenses
• Open meeting to recruit new involved carers
• Are you satisfied with local services?
• Carers must speak for those who are unable to do
  so

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Is It Worth The Effort?

• The knowledge and confidence gained helps caring
  role
• Challenging but satisfying
• Influence changes and improvements
• Sharing knowledge
• Vehicle to take concerns forward
• Involvement can be respite for some
• PLEASE ENCOURAGE CARERS
• TO BECOME INVOLVED