"Issues for Carers"

I was a carer of my wife who has had to go into hospital with mental health problems, several times over the years. My experiences were that there was very little support for people like me who was left on my own after a traumatic experience having to go back to the family house not really understanding what was going on with my wife and also having to adjust to my new situation. As a member now of a carers group I think that this still goes on as staff with all due respect don’t have the time and perhaps the understanding to really understand the feelings and practicalities facing carers. As a carers group we would like to see some way of making sure that certain things are done for carers possibly a check list that is part of a carers charter. We have also discussed a Carers Angel who would be able to focus on a carers needs when people go into hospital or any point at which contact is made with mental health services. This needs to be built into policy and procedure with appropriate staff training.