Public interest and private concern: the role of family carers for people suffering mental illness in the twenty first century

Family psychoeducation for people living with schizophrenia and their families

Most people with schizophrenia have frequent contact with their families. Therefore, the family should be involved in their relative's treatment and care wherever possible, so that they can contribute to that person's recovery and the family's own needs for information, support and treatment can be addressed. Family psychoeducation refers to a group of structured psychotherapeutic interventions that involve the person with schizophrenia and their family as partners in care. Trained practitioners adopt a collaborative approach to information sharing and provide training in coping, communication and problem-solving skills. This article describes the common principles and techniques of family psychoeducation (FPE), along with the substantial evidence for its benefits for families, especially reduced relapse rates for the person with schizophrenia. Despite recommendations in clinical practice guidelines, FPE is not widely available throughout the world. The current challenge is to address this through systemic approaches to practice change and tiered approaches to family service delivery.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

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DECLARATION OF INTEREST

None.

The value of carers in mental health research

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of a mental health carers’ research reference group on mental health research in the Heart of England region.

Design/methodology/approach

– The methodology was a co-produced participatory evaluation, and the research was co-produced by the group. The design involved a literature review of carers’ involvement in UK mental health research, and collection of secondary data (group records) and primary data from researchers, group members, and facilitators. Analysis was initially thematic, then synthesised.

Findings

– The group’s work had a positive impact on researchers and group members, and to some extent on mental health research and networks more widely. No negative impact was identified.

Research limitations/implications

– The researchers were not able to contact or include everyone who had been involved with the group. Some of those who did not give input may have felt less positive about the group than those who did respond. Co-production does not signify equality. Evaluation inevitably involves bias.

Practical implications

– The conclusion is that mental health carers have a unique and positive contribution to make to mental health research, and have the right to be involved in such research in a non-tokenistic way. This has practical implications for mental health and mental health research services.

Originality/value

– This is the first mental health carer-controlled evaluation of a mental health carer research reference group. Mental health carers conducted the research and wrote this paper, giving a perspective rarely found in the literature. This has value for people working in, studying, and researching mental health, and for other mental health carers.

Laços entre família e serviços de Saúde Mental: a participação dos familiares no cuidado do sofrimento psíquico

Discute-se a participação dos familiares no cuidado do sofrimento psíquico, por meio de observação participante e entrevistas. Foi possível constituir um corpo analítico de como as dimensões do cuidado e do sofrimento se constituem no âmbito familiar. Os dados foram tratados mediante a análise de conteúdo. Os familiares relatam falta de tempo e espaços em que possam se cuidar, gerando desconforto frente à presença do sofrimento psíquico em suas vidas. Uma rede territorial de cuidados é apontada como um apoio aos familiares, considerados importantes atores para o plano de cuidados. Eles apresentam demandas de falar sobre seus sofreres cotidianos, no entanto os serviços de saúde não apresentam estratégias para atraí-los a participar, o que dificulta avanços na desinstitucionalização. Momentos de escuta e de compreensão do sofrimento familiar são apresentados como formas de acolhimento e cuidado.

An integrated approach for individualised support: carers' views

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper was to capture carers’ views of a service in Bristol funded jointly by the Local Authority and the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, which offers support to carers in the form of a one-off payment which they can use for anything they choose.

Design/methodology/approach

– A multi-method evaluation of this integrated service was conducted between August 2012 and October 2013 to explore its impact on carers’ health and well-being. This paper presents findings from 40 interviews conducted with carers as part of the evaluation.

Findings

– Many carers have little respite from very stressful situations; the break enabled them to focus on their own needs. Carers’ needs included actual short breaks away with or without those being cared for, as well as items like household equipment or exercise classes.

Research limitations/implications

– The study was centred on an innovation and integrated approach to support carers in one city and provides a snap-shot of the short-term effects. Longer lasting effects are not known.

Social implications

– Most carers found the support beneficial, and in some cases reported a positive effect on their own health and well-being. Effective inter-agency communication and collaboration is essential for the success of the integrated service.

Originality/value

– There is limited research available on the outcomes of integrated approaches to support carers.