South Tyneside Mental Health Carer Support

This service also has its own website which you can visit for more information: www.mhcarersupport.co.uk

What we do and how we help

We work with people who are caring for someone with mental health issues in South Tyneside.

We know that caring for someone experiencing mental ill-health can sometimes be tough. This is why we provide emotional and practical support to carers, helping them to cope with these demands and also be able to ‘have a life of their own’. We do this through:

• One-to-one telephone and face-to-face support
• Education and advice on mental health issues
• Information and ‘signposting’ to community services and resources
• Social and ‘peer’ support, through things like coffee mornings, craft sessions, men’s groups meals out, and trips
• Out-of-hours telephone support line

Our partnerships

The Carer Support Service works closely with other community groups and statutory services, in order to ensure that the voice of mental health carers is heard, and that people are involved in consultation on local and national decision-making policies around carer’s issues.

We work in close partnership with NTW (Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Trust); STACS (South Tyneside Adult Carers Service); and Sunderland Carers’ Centre at the Carers’ Information Hub at Hopewood Park Hospital, where carers can access support and information on-site. We also work alongside nursing staff who are identified as Carers’ Champions, to provide information sharing sessions relevant to carers issues, in order to give staff a better understanding of the important role the carer plays in the treatment of the person that they care for.

How much does the service cost?

The service is paid for by the NHS and is commissioned by South Tyneside CCG, therefore no direct charge is made for the service.

How do I refer someone to this service?

If you live in South Tyneside and care for someone with a mental health issue, you are eligible for this service. Just give us a call on 0191 217 2934 and we’ll take it from there.

Referrals are also accepted from any health and social care professional.