A poster putting the voices of carers front and centre is to go on show across the Trust to highlight the value of lived experience.
The artwork, which was co-created by carers and staff, features the many roles a carer plays when supporting loved ones with mental health struggles.
“I was at a meeting and picked up on someone saying they were “just a carer”, and it didn’t sit well with me,” said community modern matron Emma Brookshaw.
“Unpaid carers are so much more than “just a carer”. They have so many roles, from advocate, to financial adviser, and appointee. They also have a world of knowledge.”
Poster is a visual prompt
Emma, a member of the Health and Justice team, worked with carers and the patient and carer experience team to identify a range of words connected to carers.
“We wanted a visual prompt for staff to always think of carers and how important they are, and we worked alongside carers to make sure we got it right,” said Emma.
Members of the WAVES group, which supports those caring for young people with mental and emotional health difficulties in Durham and Darlington, then took part in a workshop to design the poster.
The result was an eye-catching artwork entitled “Not just a carer”, featuring many of the roles carers take on, and highlighting the importance of lived experience.
Not just a carer
Trust parent carer peer practitioner Louise Brown, who leads Waves and is a carer with lived experience, also worked on the poster design and said:
“We are not “just a carer” and the poster shows that. There are so many roles we take on, like being an advocate, a voice and a champion of the person you care for.
“The word carer is a small part of that role. I am very passionate about having parent carer voice heard and listened to. I hope the poster will help.”
The poster is to be displayed at sites across the Trust, as well as embedded on our internet and used to illustrate carer roles at events throughout the year.
“People often think of carers as people who go in and help out a bit, but you manage appointments, financial matters, care packages and so much more,” said Louise.
Download a copy
“Carers need care too – and we need to look after the carers we work with. That is why the co-creation of this poster was so important. We want to spread the word.
“Designing the poster was a real team effort. We need to put carer voices front and centre, as they are vital within patient care, and this poster will help enormously.”
- If you would like a copy of the poster to download for your team or group email: [email protected]
