1. Achieving and sustaining standards through Working in Partnership with Carers Tony McAnelly NTW Carer Involvement Officer Vera Maw Sunderland Carer Centre Ann Clark Carer and Chair North of Tyne Carer Liaison Group

2. 2,200 square miles Northumberland
One of the largest mental health and disability Trusts in England employing more than 6,000 staff, serving a population of approximately 1.4 million,
2,200 square miles
St Georges Hospital
Northgate Hospital
Northumberland
St Nicholas Hospital
Ferndene
Hospital
Walkergate Park
Monkwearmouth Hospital
Hopewood Park Hospital

3. Triangle of Care Implementation Where are we now
All inpatient wards and services accredited
March 2015
Community and
Specialist Services
Launched
October 2015

4. Carers Charter Recognition & Value Information & Advice
Involvement In planning the treatment and care of the person they cared for.
Involvement in service development.
Help Guidance and Support
Recognising Young Carers
In 2007 we started working with carers and carer organisations to find out what key principles would need to be established to enable NTW to work in true partnership with carers
After nearly a year of consultation
6 Key principles were agreed

5. Carers Charter In 2008 Our Trust signed the Charter
Making the commitment to develop ways of working that would address each of these principles.
Taking The concept of partnership seriously we needed to introduce a way of working that would become more than a recommendation.
Ways of working with carers need to be integrated into Trust procedures.
Our first significant move in this direction was to introduce our ‘Getting to Know You’ process

6. Getting to Know You (Procedures)
A member of the clinical team to make contact with families within 72hours (from midnight of the day of referral/admission)
Family/Carers to be invited to a meeting within 7 days of referral/admission (or to contribute by telephone) “Carers and the essential role they play are identified at first contact or as soon as possible thereafter” Triangle of Care Principle 1
Note that by consistently following those first two procedures we achieve the first standard of The Triangle of Care

7. Arranging to meet with the family
It’s their meeting – arrange a time and place that is convenient for both you and the family
An opportunity for the family to meet the staff and find out about the service.
‘A carers introduction to the service and staff’ Principle 5 Triangle of care
Note TOC principle 5

8. Commonsense Confidentiality
Commonsense Confidentiality booklet for carers.
Practice Guidance Notes.
Commonsense approach to sharing information with carers.
Policy and practice protocols regarding confidentiality and sharing information are Principle 3

9. Our commitment to carers should be given to family carers at first contact.
(Launched at the last Carers Conference’ it replaces the bulky ‘Carers Pack’)
Remember – Nothing can prepare someone to suddenly finding themselves caring for a loved one – especially a mental illness.
You on the other hand as a professional have been trained in your particular field of work and might have gained years of experience.
Carers will be relying on you to help them cope with this often frightening experience.
The terms we use, the different procedures can all seem alien and they don’t know what to expect.
This little booklet goes someway in helping a family carer to unravel some of terms we use and what to expect as a family carer. Above all it spells out ‘Our Commitment’ as a Trust to give the best possible treatment to the patient and how we will work with the family to achieve this.
To the carer ‘Our Commitment’ means your commitment
All staff should read it and other supporting information – not just ‘Carer Champions’ - so you know what you are committing to and can answer carers questions and help them to access further information.

10. Carer champions
Carer Champions are members of staff who agree, on behalf of their ward or team, to act as a key contact for carer issues
Raise awareness of carer issues and promote carer involvement within their team.

11. Carer Champions – Carer Information and advice.
Ensuring that;
All staff on their ward or in their team, are kept up to date with carer legislation.
There are sufficient ‘Our Commitment to Carers’ and other carer hand-outs on the ward.
Carer notice boards display relevant and up-to-date information on carer events and support services.

12. Carer champions
Carer Champions appointed on every ward and in every service throughout the Trust
Carer Champion forums set up in each geographical area throughout the Trust.
Defined posts responsible for carers are in place
Principle 4

13. This training includes;
Getting to Know You (Procedures) Carer Engagement Strategies Getting to Know All About You Information Sharing Sharing with confidence Commonsence Confidentiality Think Family Young Carers Sharing Caring Achieving all the standards in Triangle of Care
As Carer Involvement Officer, I am able to gather the views of both family carers and staff as to how new procedures or policies work or don’t work. I have designed the following guidance based mainly on what staff have shared with me particularly around matters of information sharing.
Lack of recognition, involvement and information are generally the most distressing issues for carers. They can also be the most damaging for Trust services but despite all of the work around Commonsense Confidentiality there are still a number of staff who struggle when it comes to sharing information with carers.
Commonsense Confidentiality is a catchy title but I often regret using the word confidentiality.
Carers don’t necessarily want to know confidential information.
They want help, guidance, reassurance, support, someone who will listen to them.
Throughout this training therefore I have tried to keep the word to a minimum.
I have also tried to emphasize a kind of ‘safety first’ for staff by using ‘traffic light’ symbols with the emphasis on green, an occasional use of amber and red only when there is any sense of danger.
Finally - Getting to Know You is our ‘Think Family’ initiative so we will spend a little time considering the impact of illness on family life and in particular on Children and ‘Young Carers’

14. Triangle of Care Achieving all Standards Standards 1,5 and 6 – Getting to Know You. Standard 2 – Training successfully cascaded to all staff Standard 3 – Commonsense Confidentiality (Staff trained in Compliance) Standard 4 – Carer Champions on all wards and services regularly attending forum meetings.

16. Strategic Involvement
Carers Involvement / partnership
Structures in place to achieve
Strategic Involvement
Planning, consultation and working wth Carers
Carer Governor
For South of Tyne
Carer Support Workers
Sunderland
Gateshead
South Tyneside
South of Tyne Carer Liaison Group
Carers, carer services, Carer Centres., NTW Carer Leads Champions and Management representation
Carer Governor
Representation from North of Tyne Carer Liaison Group
NTW Carer champion Forum
Sunderland & South Tyneside
Carers
Sunderland
Carer Centres & Service
Sunderland
Blissability S/Tyneside
Crossroads Gateshead
Mental Health Concern
MANAGEMENT
Patient & Carer
NTW Carer Leads & Management.
Carer Lead
Carer Involvement Officer
Carer lead Director

17. Planning, consultation and working with Carers
Carers Involvement / partnership
Structures in place to achieve
Strategic Involvement
Carers
Carer Involvement Forum
(N/Land, Newcastle, N/Tyne)
Carer Centres
Northumberland
Newcastle
North Tyneside
Planning, consultation and working with Carers
Carer Services
Morpeth Contact
Escape
PALS
North of Tyne Carer Liaison Group
Carers, carer services, Carer Centres. L.A. Carer Leads, NTW Carer Leads Champions and Management representation
Representation from South of Tyne Carer Liaison Group
Carer Governor
Local Authorities Carer Leads
Northumberland (Including ‘Think Family’
Newcastle
North Tyneside
Carer Governor
For North of Tyne
NTW Carer champion Forums
Newcastle
Northumberland
Management
Patient and Carer
NTW Carer Leads & Management.
Carer Lead
Carer Involvement Officer
Carer lead Director 17

18. Challenges Transforming Services Rural vs urban areas
Maintaining robust lines of communication
Maintaining specific carer related roles in the Trust

19. Challenges Transforming Services Rural vs urban areas
Maintaining robust lines of communication
Maintaining specific carer related roles in the Trust
Northumberland
St Georges Hospital
Northgate Hospital
St Nicholas Hospital
Ferndene
Hospital
Walkergate Park
Monkwearmouth Hospital
Hopewood Park Hospital