Rethink offers carers of adults experiencing mental illhealth
a variety of support, responding to carers’ individual
needs. The service includes: one to one telephone or email
support; events; carer support groups; respite; information
and signposting, and Rethink’s own Carer Education
Training Programme (CETP).
CETP aims to inform and empower carers by offering
quality information and the opportunity to better
understand mental health. Rethink and other mental
health workers jointly facilitate CETP, and an additional
benefit of the project is a more informed appreciation of
carers’ issues for mental health professionals. Referrals
come from a vast array of services across the voluntary and
statutory sector. Involvement includes staff from the
community mental health teams, PIER teams (Psychosis
Intervention Early Recover), Crisis Teams and Assertive
Outreach teams. All are invited to undertake the Rethink
“Training For Trainers” course in order to be able to
facilitate the programme. Rethink now has secured
“satellite” desks within community mental health bases,
which has further nurtured the partnership working.
They have now run eleven programmes, including tailored
approaches for depression and specific adaptations for
early intervention. Many Rethink staff either have been or
are carers themselves and feel supported by the
programme “If it weren’t for Rethink, I would have gone
down the black hole of mental health myself”. The team
has clear operational guidance for accepting and
responding to referrals, including expected timescales,
access routes into the service and exit strategies.
Service user feedback shows a high level of satisfaction
with the programme. “Soon after my initial introduction to
Rethink, I was invited to attend a weekly Rethink Education
and Training Programme specifically designed with carers in
mind. Having completed this course, I was extremely
impressed by the standard of knowledge shown by all
Instructors and the real sense of professionalism expressed.
The whole structure of the course proved to be invaluable
to me and my fellow carers.”
For more information on this project, please contact;
david.barsby@rethink.org
