Carers Week 2025
Carers Week (9 - 15 June) is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support. This Carers Week, we’re sharing how we support and work with Carers to deliver the best care possible for our service users.
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) is a proud member of the Triangle of Care, a nationally led scheme by the Carers Trust. It brings together many years of research with carers into what they feel will benefit them when involved with mental health services. It is based on six principles that mental health trusts can use to include and support carers. Learn more about it here: The Triangle of Care | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT (gmmh.nhs.uk)
Our Mental Health Carers Handbook is a really useful place to start if supporting somebody with their mental health. Find this and other written resources here: Carer booklets, leaflets and more | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT (gmmh.nhs.uk)
Find out more about carers work across the Trust under the headings below.
- Woodlands summer carers market — Celebrating carers and championing equality
- Family Intervention Therapy — Supporting carers of those living with addiction
- The Recovery Academy and the support available to carers, family and friends
- Carer Peer Support Worker — Supporting carers at Atherleigh Park
Woodlands summer carers market — Celebrating carers and championing equality
The Woodlands is an older adult inpatient facility located in Little Hulton, Salford.
Team Woodlands recognise the importance of supporting the carers, family and friends of those accessing care and as such are busy planning a vibrant afternoon, dedicated to celebrating the incredible contribution of carers.
We spoke to Amy Leah, AHP Professional Lead, Salford, for further information. She said:
“Carers are at the heart of everything we do at Woodlands. This event is our way of recognising their vital role, while promoting wellbeing, connection, and inclusive support for all.
“Working in partnership with brilliant organisations like Age UK, Empowered Conversations, PALS, Dancing with Dementia, Music Therapy and many more, the day will be packed with engaging stalls and activities. Enjoy delicious food and drinks catering to a range of dietary needs, unwind with relaxation and hand massage and explore our various stalls.
“There’ll be affirmations around equality, the newly featured human fruit machine, VR experiences, and music throughout. This event reflects our commitment to creating spaces that value and uplift everyone - because Caring about Equality matters to us all.”
Join Woodlands for their Carers Market
When: Thursday 12 June 2025 from 1pm to 4pm
Where: Woodlands Hospital, Main Corridor
About this event
Woodlands will be hosting a Carers Market at the Woodlands Hospital main corridor on Thursday 12 June 2025, from 1pm to 4pm. The event is part of the celebration of Carers Week and will feature music, food, games, shopping, crafts, and stalls.
Poster for the Woodlands Carers Market
Family Intervention Therapy — Supporting carers of those living with addiction
Achieve provide addiction support services for the communities of Bury, Bolton, Salford and Trafford and look to reduce the impact of alcohol and drug use on children, young people and families.
The Psychosocial Interventions Team at Achieve offer Family Intervention Therapy (FIT) to family members, carers and concerned others of those affected by substance use issues. FIT is an evidence based five step model that focuses on the family member themselves, not on the substance using relative. The aim is to support a family member to enhance their ability to cope with stressful situations and behaviours. FIT is a mapping-based intervention, and sessions include exploring stresses and strains, exploring and discussing coping behaviours, exploring and enhancing social supports, and exploring additional need and further sources of support.
FIT is not family mediation, it is not aimed at changing the behaviour of the substance using relative, we cannot intervene with the relative or act as a go between.
Feedback from carers who have accessed this support to date includes:
“I was so impressed by the level of care and attention.”
“FIT has helped with my home life and communication with my loved one who uses substances has improved. Many things including my sleep have improved, I am very grateful for the help and support.”
“I’m doing great, I am at the gym and eating healthy. I feel much more in control and have a clear plan on how to move forward. I’ve enrolled on a level 3 course at college. I really can’t thank the team enough for showing us a way through the trees.”
“FIT has helped me to process my current situation and hopefully move forward in a more positive way.”
“FIT is having a very positive effect, the worker is creative, constructive and just as importantly compassionate.”
Who can access Family Intervention Therapy?
To access this support, people need to be either a family member, carer or a concerned other of someone who uses substances. They must also be willing to attend and engage with the whole 5 sessions. The person using substances does not need to be open to Achieve for the carer to access this support.
To make a referral for Family Intervention Therapy please contact your nearest Achieve Service.
- Bury: 0161 271 0020
- Bolton: 01204 438 090
- Salford: 0161 358 1530
- Trafford: 0161 358 0991
The Recovery Academy and the support available to carers, family and friends
The Recovery Academy is honoured to be involved in celebrating National Carers Week by acknowledging the invaluable contribution our carers make to the lives of service users across GMMH’s services.
We spoke to Sheila Wilson, Recovery Academy and Peer Support Lead, for further information. She said:
“Looking back, I wish there had been a Recovery Academy when my sister and I were carers for family members who struggled with their mental health and addiction, and when our Mum started to struggle with dementia. We could have attended so many courses that would have helped us to understand mental health, addiction and dementia better. I’m sure that the courses available today would have helped us learn how best to communicate, offer support and deal with challenging situations as well as finding ways to look after our own wellbeing. There’s something for everybody at our Recovery Academy and carers are no exception.”
We’ve highlighted some courses currently available with our Recovery Academy that we feel carers would find beneficial below.
Courses that help raise awareness of mental health conditions, such as ‘Living well with dementia’, ‘Understanding and responding to crises’, and ‘Understanding depression and recovery’ share experiences to give insight into the difficulties faced by people who experience these issues and can help carers understand things better.
Skills based courses can also promote the opportunities to develop skills that may help build positive relationships, for example, “An Introduction to listening skills”, “Understanding and managing worry”, and “Developing your assertiveness”. These are important because they can give carers confidence to access the services and support they need as well as communicate more effectively with their loved one and manage their own stress.
It is also important to empower carers by offering courses that promote their own well-being and self-care, for example, “Using creativity to improve mental well-being”, “Yoga and well-being”, “Overcoming sleep problems” and “An introduction to relaxation”. These courses allow carers to focus on their own needs and find healthy ways to cope. If we support our carers through learning at the Recovery Academy, our carers are better able to support their loved ones.
We are keen for more carers to access the courses available through the Recovery Academy - all courses are free and the person they support does not need to be under the care of GMMH in order to be eligible.
If you would like to see what the Recovery Academy can offer you and create you very own Recovery Academy account, visit the Recovery Academy website at: https://recoveryacademy.gmmh.nhs.uk/
GMMH staff members and volunteers can access all resources via their Learning Hub.
You can also contact the Recovery Academy team directly with any questions at recoveryacademy@gmmh.nhs.uk or telephone 0161 938 5122.
Carer Peer Support Worker — Supporting carers at Atherleigh Park
The inpatient wards at Atherleigh Park hospital provide a safe and comfortable environment to promote recovery and mental wellbeing. Every service user has their own private en-suite bedroom, as well as access to communal living areas and activity rooms on the wards. The unit recently developed a peer support worker role aimed at supporting carers and families of those currently accessing support through the wards at Atherleigh.
Ian is carer for his son as well as a valued member of the team. Based within the hospital therapies team, Ian is able to use his lived experience as a carer to support people through what can be a very challenging time, whilst the person they support is receiving inpatient care.
Ian
Ian feels strongly that all carers should have a voice in their loved ones care. He recognises the challenges for the individual when someone they usually provide care for is in hospital, and works with them to ensure they have somebody to speak to and to reduce any barriers to them feeling heard.
Ian is working across all the wards at Atherleigh Park and is listening to the voice of carers to develop his role to best suit individual needs. He is able to provide support to carers wanting to attend reviews, to support carers to access local carers resources across the Borough (including carers assessments), and to navigate any barriers to our carers accessing the teams.
Ian is keen to support the GMMH Together Strategy to ensure that we listen to carer feedback about our services and use that feedback to know what is working well for carers and what requires improvement. Within his role, he is supporting the existing carer groups on Golborne ward and within our home based treatment team to develop this offer across all of the wards.
If you’re a carer who requires support, please speak to the ward team involved who will pass on your information. Ian will then look to make contact with you to discuss how he can best offer support.
