Carers’ perspectives on shared decision-making in risk assessment and management in mental health

A research team in the Division of Psychiatry at University College London is inviting adults who have provided, or are currently providing, unpaid support to someone living with a severe mental illness (such as psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression) to take part in individual interviews.

They are interested in informal/ unpaid carers’ experiences of being involved in conversations about risk and safety in mental health care. They want to understand how mental health staff involve loved ones in the process of assessing and managing risk, what has helped you take part in these discussions and the challenges you’ve faced.

This study has been approved by the UCL ethics committee, project ID number:  1748

They are looking to speak with 15-20 individuals who are:

• Oover the age of 18
• Unpaid carers (such as family members, partners, or friends)
• Currently supporting, or have previously supported, someone with a severe mental illness (e.g. psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression)
• The person you care for has used adult community or specialist mental health services in the UK

Expected commitment from participants:

• Interviews will last for approximately one hour
• The interview can take place via telephone call, Microsoft Teams or face to face, depending on your preference and availability

Closing date to apply: ongoing (until they have reached their target)

The research team is committed to ensuring diverse representation in this study and are keen to hear from carers from a wide range of backgrounds. Groups currently underrepresented in their study include young adult carers (ages 18–25), male carers, and carers from Black and other minority ethnic backgrounds.