Delivering care for carers

 

Rethink Mental Illness is ideally placed to help you deliver on government commitments to carers of people with mental illness.

The Prime Minister’s Carers’ Strategy commits £150 million over 2009-2011 to be allocated to PCTs for provision of breaks and other carer services, part of a ten year strategy that would have a net benefit of £547 million.

Rethink was established by carers and is the largest national voluntary sector provider of mental health services.

We believe that carers play an invaluable role in helping people recover from mental illness, and have developed a range of services to meet the complex needs of this often misunderstood group of carers.

Support

Front cover of 'Delivering care for carers: A guide for commissioners'We have a network of over 140 support groups, which bring carers and people with mental illness together to share information and experiences.

Around half of our carer groups are run by service staff, many as part of dedicated carer support services, and we offer a range of other support for carers.

Improving access to services and information

The MH Act, essential information for parents and carersWe work in partnership with local authorities and PCTs to help raise awareness of the problems carers often face accessing services and information and find solutions:

  • training for professionals
  • community engagement
  • confidentiality training.

Information and advice

Logo used by members of the telephone helpline associationThe Rethink Advice and Information Service (RAIS) is a unique service that fills a major gap in the information and help available to people with mental illness and their carers.

Rethink can also provide Advice and helplines covering particular areas or for particular groups of carers or service users.

Training for Carers

Carers Training and Education Programme group in discussionRethink's Carers' Education and Training Programme is an expert carers' course designed for those caring for people with a severe and enduring mental illness.

Carers respite

3585 Tree with sea in the backgroundWe provide a range of home respite services and support carers to find the respite they need. Find out more about carer services around the country

Involvement

Carers outside parliamentThe majority of Rethink's Board of Trustees are service users or carers, and our aim is to give carers, and the people they care for, a voice in every aspect of mental health provision.

We are in a unique position to facilitate carers' and service users' involvement in the development of services, policies and legislation that affect them.

For example, we were heavily involved in Lord Bradley's review of the criminal justice system for people with mental illness. 

 

Young carers

front image of uthink postcard

Our innovative Uthink services have helped young carers to cope with their caring role and make time for their own lives.

We also have Rethink Sibs which is a space for brothers and sisters affected by mental illness in the family.

Working with Rethink

hand together, slasped hands, holding hands

Rethink has a strong track record of developing and delivering services in partnership with commissioners, government, the statutory sector and other providers.

Our research team work with people who use our services to develop outcome capture tools to evidence the value of our services.

We've recently developed a new tool to measure carers' well-being and satisfaction with support, in collaboration with the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Alzheimer's society.

Further information