Consultations

Surrey County Council are looking for people to help monitor their Supported Living and Community Connection mental health services. Meetings are held to see how providers are achieving the service's aims and to hear about people's experiences of the care and support provided. They want people with experience, including the carers of people using services, to help with these meetings. There is payment of £15 an hour, and details of the commitment are on the link.

This survey is a great opportunity to assess what progress has been made on the recommendations and determine whether they have been implemented consistently, along with what further work needs to be done to improve outcomes for families. So, if you use Home to School Travel Assistance of any form, please do complete Family Voice Surrey’s survey - positive experiences are just as important to evidence as negative.

Surrey and Borders Partnership (SABP) are exploring how people with long-term conditions can be better supported through the use of health monitoring technology. They want to hear carers’ views on how they think things like smart watches, health apps and health rate monitors can help – and what barriers there are to use. If you care for someone with a long-term condition such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, stroke, or dementia, please complete the survey. Takes 10 minutes. CLOSES 2025

This survey is for people with physical disability living in the Surrey Heath Place area, which includes Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC) areas except Bisley, West End and Chobham and people living in the Guildford Borough Council (GBC) Ash Vale area served by Bartlett Group GP Practice. The aim of the survey is to understand what gets in the way of accessing services and other activities.

Surrey Coalition is working with Surrey Heartlands and SCC to understand the experiences of Autistic people and people with learning disabilities, who have experienced crisis that may have lead to an unplanned admission to a mental health hospital or specialist units. The researchers are looking for 10 Surrey participants to join for a research conversation, and for an optional follow up group. If the person you care for is Autistic/has a LD, that has experienced a mental health crisis, he or she might like to participate with this important research. Please email [email protected]

Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum (SMEF) and Surrey Coalition of Disabled People (The Coalition) are currently working on a research project looking at the experiences of South-Asian adults within mental health services in Surrey and North-East Hampshire.

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust (SASH) has created a public involvement network – SASH people’s panel. This is an opportunity to have a say on services at East Surrey Hospital, Crawley, Horsham and Caterham Dene. Members will be sent regular news and updates about the Trust and its services, and will be invited to get involved and have a say – this may be through surveys and focus groups, online and in person meetings and events, and more. The people’s panel is open to anyone aged 14 years and older who lives or works in Reigate and Banstead, Mole Valley, Tandridge, Croydon, Crawley and Horsham – or those with an interest. SASH want as many people as possible, including young people, and those from a minority or protected characteristic group, to get involved and have their say.

Do you care for someone with Dementia? Would you be interested in helping to shape the development of the NHS’s new role ‘Dementia Care Coordinator’? The role is being evaluated by the University of Surrey, who wish to find carers to be part of a group to assist, by sharing their experience and views. The study name is: A realist evaluation of the Kent and Medway Dementia Care Coordinator service in primary care and across care pathways. However, they are looking for carers from anywhere in England. Participation will include attending four (online) meetings across the two year project, commenting on documents, inputting into evaluations of study findings and advising on other aspects of the project, such as engagement with people with dementia. You will be part of a small group of individuals (four max) who share common experiences with you. There is payment for participation, if you are chosen to take part. To enquire further, please contact Dr Ruth Abrams, project lead, University of Surrey: [email protected]

Do you care for someone with Dementia? Would you be interested in helping to shape the development of the NHS’s new role ‘Dementia Care Coordinator’? The role is being evaluated by the University of Surrey, who wish to find carers to be part of a group to assist, by sharing their experience and views. Participation will include attending four (online) meetings across the two year project, commenting on documents, inputting into evaluations of study findings and advising on other aspects of the project, such as engagement with people with dementia. You will be part of a small group of individuals (four max) who share common experiences with you. There is payment for participation, if you are chosen to take part. More on link, for more info please contact Dr Ruth Abrams, project lead, University of Surrey: [email protected] CLOSES LATE 2024.

A researcher from Royal Holloway University is looking at how parents of autistic young people experience the process of their child transitioning from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). CLOSES 3 APRIL 2025 Existing research highlights that autistic young adults are more likely to fall in the gap between CAMHS and AMHS, possibly contributing to an increased caring burden for parents who may play a role in providing additional emotional support for their child when they are not offered therapeutic support. The researcher Charlotte would speak with participants for a one-hour max interview (phone or online). Email her [email protected]

A university of Liverpool clinical psychology doctorate trainee is researching the experience of receiving a diagnosis of dementia before the age of 65 of people from minority ethnic communities – and want to hear from carers. There’s an online interview of about an hour with a £10 voucher for participation. Please email Fiona Lowe for more at [email protected] CLOSES MAY 2025

Birmingham City University are working with the Community Pressure Ulcer Prevention Research Team to look at preventing pressure ulcers (commonly known as bedsores). Part of the project is a 10 minute survey for carers who support someone who’s at risk of developing pressure ulcers at home. The aim is to understand what people are trying to do to prevent ulcers, and what more they can do. CLOSES 22 DECEMBER.

A researcher at University College London is looking at whether dementia services are meeting the needs of LGBTQ+ adults with dementia. Participation is a 45 online interview, and you will receive a £20 voucher for taking part. Contact Simran for more at [email protected]

A Sussex University PhD Student is researching the experiences of informal/unpaid carers who witness disability hate crimes and experience targeted abuse in their caring role. Better understanding what happens will allow for improved support and responses to this sort of behaviour. The survey takes around 30 minutes and is voluntary, anonymous and for those over 18 who have experienced targeted abuse in their caring role. For more info, please email [email protected] CLOSES APRIL/MAY.

Molly Heeger, a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at Canterbury Christ Church University is conducting a research study into growth factors among family members who support someone with psychosis. What is meant by ‘growth’ is any positive changes following a difficult life event, these can be any changes the carer may have noticed, even if they may seem small. If you would like to take part in this study, you can do so online, or in person, more on the link. (CLOSES TBC.)

A researcher at Nottingham University is looking to hear from carers of people with Parkinson's about their experiences of online support groups. You can complete the questionnaire which would take about 15-20 minutes, or take part in an online interview which would take around 45 minutes. They are trying to identify what kind of support groups would be best for you. Email [email protected] with any particular queries. (CLOSE DATE TBC).

A researcher from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) would like to interview carers from ethnic minority backgrounds who support a family or friend with dementia to talk about their experiences with the benefit system (benefits received due to your caring role and/or the person you support is/was receiving certain disability benefits post their diagnosis). You can choose to do it through Zoom/phone or in-person (in London). More on the link or email: [email protected]

Does culture play a part in increased psychosis rates? Researchers at the University of East Anglia want to speak with the unpaid carers of people from Black, Caribbean or any other Black ethnic background to hear why you think this community experiences psychosis at a higher rate and what barriers there are to seeking to hop. What changes should happen?

This is an online survey from Liberating Research, a patient research community. It takes 25 minutes and they want to hear from people who are caring for someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or Mild Cognitive Impairment. They seek only 20 UK people to take part, and those who complete the survey will receive a £25 voucher.

Do you support someone living with a severe mental health condition? And have you ever experienced aggression from this person that you care for? King’s College London are running a study called TARGET – Targeting Aggression in caReGiving rElatTonships – and seek carer to speak to about exploring the usefulness of a new group training programme. More on the link or contact: [email protected] CLOSES WHEN SUFFICIENT STUDY PARTICIPANTS