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Ridgeway carer’s handbook

Our Ridgeway Carer's Handbook provides practical information and guidance for carers and families of people receiving care at Ridgeway

Download this handbook as a printable booklet (297.65kB)

Are you a carer?

Do you care for a relative or friend?

A carer is someone who looks after a family member, partner or friend who cannot cope without their support. This might be because of an illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction. Carers do not get paid for the help they give. In this handbook, when we say carers, we mean both adults and young people who care for someone.

Many people don’t see themselves as carers. It can take people about two years to understand that they are a carer.

Carers can find it hard to see their caring role as separate from the relationship they have with the person they care for. For example, as a parent, child, sibling, partner, or friend.

Many carers have to balance caring with work, school or other family responsibilities. Some carers, especially younger ones, are not known to be carers because they don’t tell anyone. They may worry about being separated from the person they care for, or feel guilt, pride or other emotions.

Carers help with many different tasks like:

  • getting out of bed,
  • personal care such as bathing,
  • giving emotional support such as helping someone cope with the symptoms of a mental illness.

Find out more about being a carer, what support is available and how to join other carers across our trust in the carers hub on our website www.tewv.nhs.uk/about-your-care/carers

Recovery, engagement and co-creation team

Our team helps people we support, and their carers, share their ideas and have their voices heard.

We would really like to hear from carers like you. Your feedback can help us make our services better.

You can also contact us if you have questions about the service (but not about someone’s care).

Our team also includes lived experience peer workers. These are people who use their own experiences of mental health, autism or learning disabilities to support others. We also have carer peer workers. They understand what it’s like to care for someone and can support other carers.

Want to get involved or need support?

You can find our contact details in the useful contacts section of this booklet.
Please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

Mental Health Act

In most cases, when people are treated in a hospital like Ridgeway or another mental health facility, they agree to be there. This is called being a voluntary patient.

Ssometimes, a person may need to stay in hospital even if they don’t agree. This is called being detained or sectioned under the Mental Health Act (1983).

The Mental Health Act (1983) is a law that explains the assessment, treatment and rights of people with a mental health disorder.

Someone may be detained under the Mental Health Act if they need urgent treatment and are at risk of harm to themselves or other people.

Find out more about the Mental Health Act:

  • On the NHS website www.nhs.uk/mental-health/social-care-and-your-rights/mental-health-and-the-law/mental-health-act/
  • On our website www.tewv.nhs.uk/about/publications/mental-health-act

Advice for carers and families if your loved one is detained

If your loved one is detained, they must stay in hospital until the doctors or a mental health tribunal decide otherwise. A mental health tribunal is a meeting where experts discuss whether the person will continue to be cared for and treated in hospital.

You can talk to ward staff about visiting. Sometimes, the person in hospital may refuse visitors. If this happens hospital staff will respect their wishes. If you can’t visit, staff should explain why.

You can speak to the ward staff for any updates, and about your worries or concerns. Staff will listen but may not be able to answer personal questions about the person you care for.

Advocacy

Advocacy services help people speak up and share their views. They support people who might find it hard to explain what they need or who are in a vulnerable situation. Staff have close links with a number of advocacy services.

An independent advocacy service called STAMP (South Tees Advocacy in Mental Health Project) is based at Roseberry Park Hospital.

Contact STAMP on 01642 283421

Our commitment to carers

We want carers to know what they can expect from our trust. This is explained in our Carers Charter, which we created together with carers. We check ourselves against this charter to make sure we are doing what we promised.

Carers Charter

Our commitment to you

  • We will give you a named person to contact.
  • We will listen and value the expert knowledge you have and work with you to provide quality care.
  • We will include you in any decisions about the person you care for and where this is not possible we will explain why.
  • We will support and listen to you and provide clear accessible information to help you care.
  • We will respect confidentiality of personal information from you and the person you care for.
  • We will train our staff to understand and respect the essential role you play in the person’s care and recovery.
  • We will actively involve you in service planning and development.

Please help us

  • Work with us to provide personalised care and treatment for the person you care for.
  • Share your experiences and history of the person you care for to help us provide effective care.
  • Help us understand your own needs so we can support your health and wellbeing.
  • Trust us to share with our colleagues as necessary the personal information you provide to improve the care we give.
  • Respect that staff will listen but may not always be able to answer personal questions about the person you care for.
  • Use the information we provide for carers to understand your rights and how we can work together.
  • Help us develop better integrated, more joined up services that meet the needs of everyone.

If you feel you are not being listened to, or not being supported, please talk to your loved one’s care team or contact our complaints team:

Email: www.tewv.nhs.uk/about-your-care/complaints

Tel: 0800 052 0219.

Find out more about our Carers Charter: www.tewv.nhs.uk/about/publications/carers-charter

Carer involvement in Ridgeway

There are many ways carers can get involved at Ridgeway, not just in the care and treatment of their relative or friend.

Carers can join monthly online coffee mornings, which are just for carers and relatives. These sessions are a chance to chat to other carers and meet staff from the service. There is no set plan for these, just make yourself a drink, bring your biscuit and join us online on Microsoft Teams. Please ask if you need help to use Microsoft Teams.

We also encourage our carers and families to help us improve our services, attend meetings, join interview panels as well as other opportunities to get involved when they come up.

At Ridgeway, each ward has a dedicated carer link.

Carer links make regular contact with carers, offer support and can be a helpful person to contact, alongside the named nurse.

They also work with the wider service to make sure any feedback and improvements are shared and acted on.

You can find details of your ward carer link under the useful contacts section of this booklet.

Carer’s assessment

Anyone over the age of 18, who provides care, is entitled to a carers assessment. They are free of charge. This is an opportunity to look at your needs as a carer and what support could be available to help support you and your caring role.

Carers assessments are carried out by adult social services at your local council.

Our social work team can help direct you to the right service. You can contact one of our social workers 01642 837634.

Tell your GP you are a carer

If you tell your GP you are a carer, they can add you to the Carers Register.

This is helpful because it means they understand the extra responsibilities you have and can offer support that suits your situation. For example, they might tell you about local support services for carers, and any extra help you could get, including things like a free flu jab.  

Support for carers

There are a number of support services for carers.

We have included below some of the services that are in the Tees Valley.

If you would like support services outside of this area, please contact your ward carer link, or the recovery, engagement and co-creation team.

Hartlepool

Stockton-on-Tees

Darlington

Middlesbrough

Redcar

Useful contacts

  • Ridgeway reception
    • Tel: 01642 837400

If you have any questions, please contact Recovery, Engagement and Co-creation Team:

[email protected]

When someone you love is in our care

If your friend or a family member is in our care, your support is invaluable. Support, information and practical advice is available for you.

Visit our Carers’ hub

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