Carer Services
Working with carers
Jersey FOCUS on mental health holds monthly meetings especially for carers. This provides an opportunity for carers or family members to get together to discuss their own situations, listen to others, share ideas and information and to ask questions of the interesting guest speakers who are regularly invited to address the meetings. Recently the meeting has been opened to anyone with an interest in supporting the work of the charity and is attended by carers, service users and others. The renamed group, the Friends of FOCUS, continues to meet at 730pm on the second Tuesday of every month at the Poplars Day Centre at Overdale. If you want any further about the group or the meeting please contact Anton Skinner at telephone 01534 851124 or email : antonskinner@msn.com.
To find out who is the guest speaker, please visit the Latest News Section of the site.
Currently the States of Jersey Health and Social Services Department is undertaking a major review of respite services within the Island which it is hoped might lead to further respite care being being developed for local carers.
In recent years Jersey FOCUS on mental health has formed an excellent working relationship with Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). FOCUS has four seats on the ’Mental Health Steering Group’ a forum set up in 2001 to bring together representatives from Mental Health senior management, associated agencies i.e. Housing, Social Services, and the voluntary sector. Apart from helping to ensure that all services and agencies work together constructively, this forum gives FOCUS a meaningful opportunity to represent the views of users and carers and provide valuable user and carer opinion to help shape the future of Mental Health service provision.
Below are notes which we hope will assist anyone caring for someone with mental illness
Guidance notes for young Carers :
If you are a young carer the Royal College of Psychiatrists have published a useful booklet which can be accessed at the following website address :
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/campaigns/partnersincare/caringaroundtheclock.aspx
General Guidance notes for carers :
You may find the following websites which provide information for carers to be useful interest although the information they provide on local services, policy and procedures relate to the relevant areas in the United Kingdom and are not applicable locally :
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers has advice for carers on the following site page :
http://www.carers.org/mental-illness,43,TP.html
The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health : relevant information page for carers is :
http://www.scmh.org.uk/80256FBD004F6342/vWeb/pcPCHN6FTHVB
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