- Open days (including taster therapy sessions, meet the team, educational talks)
- Linking with other carers groups in the local area
- Newsletters
- Family and friends satisfaction surveys
Carers Advocacy Service
Cygnet is pleased to be working in partnership with Black Belt Advocacy to provide an innovative service to support carers with access to an independent advocate.
This is available to any carer who has a loved one staying in a Cygnet mental health hospital, specifically those within Cygnet’s Health Care division.
An advocate will help the carer to express their views and make sure their voice, opinions and experiences are properly heard.
The advocacy support is provided by Black Belt Advocacy who have delivered support, training and qualifications to the Independent Advocacy community since 2007. They have a long history of supporting the very best practice within advocacy.
They have a dedicated advocate who will be available daily. The best way to contact the Carer advocate is via phone, or email. If the phone is not answered, please leave a message and they should get back to you within 24 hours.
Black Belt Advocacy can be contact in the following ways:
Tel: 0808 175 0787
Email: [email protected]
This service is dedicated to support carers and is very distinct from the advocacy service that is available to patients, who already have access to advocacy through a dedicated service for patients and residents.
Cygnet Advice and Liaison Service (CALS)
CALS provides a point of contact for Cygnet relatives, carers and friends who require non-clinical advice or assistance regarding Cygnet Services.
CALS will liaise with the appropriate staff or service to ensure carers’ suggestions, feedback or queries are addressed.
Carers, Family and Friends Monthly Virtual Drop-in
David Wilmott, Director of Nursing, and Laura Sheridan, Group Service Improvement Manager, host monthly Carers, Family and Friends Virtual Drop-in sessions via Zoom.
This is an opportunity to share feedback and suggestions and are open to any carers, family or friends of individuals being supported by Cygnet.
Meetings take place on the second Thursday of every month, from 7 – 8pm.
View upcoming Virtual Drop-ins
Expert by Experience Carer Ambassadors
In 2023 we introduced two new Expert by Experience Carer Ambassador roles. These roles – fulfilled by people with lived experience as a carer – will help shape Cygnet’s carer plan and they will take part in a range of opportunities for discussion and feedback across carers’ councils, workshops and one-to-one conversations in all service areas.
In a blog Matthew McKenzie, one of our Expert by Experience Carer Ambassadors, speaks about the impact he hopes to make to the organisation to ensure carers voices are heard and that they continue to play an integral role in shaping the support provided to their loved one.
The 2014 Care Act
The 2014 Care Act places care and support law into a single, clear modern statute for the first time with the principle of individual wellbeing the driving force behind it. The Act aims to ensure that people will have clearer information and advice to help them navigate the system, and a more diverse, high quality range of support to choose from to meet their needs.
For the first time, carers will be put on the same legal footing as the people they care for, with extended rights to assessment, and new entitlements to support to meet their eligible needs. For more information about the Care Act 2014 below to visit the Department of Health website.
The staff that look after the person that you care for will support you with professional advice and information. We also provide information on a range of support networks on our website to find out more click here.
There are also national networks available which have specific information for carers, family and friends please see links below: