Do you care?

With nearly 7000 people registered as caring for someone with mental illness in the local area served by SLaM, it is vital that the local mental health Trust - South London and Maudlsey NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) - gets to hear what carers think about the help and support they receive.

SLaM's Family and Carers' Listening Day is designed to do just that and is open to any of the 7000 carers who provide regular, unpaid support to a person with mental health problems, be they family member, partner or close friend -  registered carer or not.

Carers play a vital role supporting people with mental health problems but many do not come into contact with mental health services - often because people do not see themselves as a 'carer' in the formal sense - instead viewing caring as a natural responsibility because the person they look after is a family member or partner.

SLaM is particularly keen to hear from anyone who has never been in touch and will work with them to get them the help and support they need when doing this selfless, difficult and often lonely task.  Support could take the form of time out or respite from caring responsibilities, recognition or simply the chance to talk to others in similar situations.

Feedback from the Listening Day will be incorporated where possible in the design of new or improved support services for carers.   Last year's Listening Day - the first ever - attracted over 160 carers, led to the creation of a new Carers' Handbook, a Carers' Strategy and to a promise to make the Listening Day a yearly event.

Prof Hilary McCallion, Executive Director of Nursing and Education, said: "It's no good just providing a range of services and then turning our back on them - thinking that's it, our job is done. Good services change constantly in response to feedback from people who use them.  That's what our listening day is all about - getting feedback so we can improve the way we help and support carers."

The Family and Carers' Listening Day is on 25 June, 2010 at London Bridge, SE1 from 9.30am to 4.30pm.  Anyone who wishes to attend should email gill.charman@slam.nhs.uk or call Gill Charman on 020 3228 2602.