NELFT is developing a Carers Strategy as part of the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF).

According to the national Census there are thousands of unpaid carers in the UK, including children and adults who look after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support.

The recorded number of young carers across NELFT stands at 10,265 and adults aged 20-90+ at 7,312.

Breakdown of age-groups of carers in the communities NELFT serves

Age	0-19	20-39	40-59	60-79	80-90+	TOTAL 20-90+
Total Number	10265	1771	1150	1676	2715	7312

 

Breakdown of carers in localities NELFT covers

Barking and Dagenham	Redbridge	Havering	Waltham Forest	Essex and Kent
2570	1807	3906	1869	6067

 

The PCREF is NHS England’s first ever anti-racism framework for all NHS mental health trusts and mental health service providers across England.

The Trust became an early adopter of the PCREF in 2022. Following patient and carer co-production events NELFT officially launched its anti-racism framework in 2023 and is currently in the early stages of developing a carers strategy informed by the same principles as PCREF. 

This latest report is publishing useful data and insights from the staff-carer questionnaire distributed across NELFT during carers week in June 2023 and following 4 patient and carer events between July 2022-July 2023. The learning and feedback from these will help shape the strategy.

The inequalities that Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) patients face in accessing both mental and physical health services, are also burdening BAME carers who are not identified and offered essential support.

A higher number of the white population is identified and recorded as carers compared to those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, making support harder to access for people from these groups.

Ethnicity and total number of Carers recorded between October 2022 September 2023

Month	Black	Asian	White	Mixed	Other
October 2022	145	189	864	59	128
November 2022	214	228	1014	66	159
December 2022	162	165	737	60	107
January 2023	195	248	1020	60	142
February 2023	133	186	802	54	125
March 2023	177	198	948	78	191
April 2023	157	193	705	45	150
May 2023	175	181	760	67	191
June 2023	129	176	748	49	192
July 2023	140	180	695	55	183
August 2023	148	178	857	61	303
September 2023	143	156	683	45	180

Table: Breakdown of number of carers recorded and ethnicity across NELFT.

This latest local analysis and engagement feedback paired with national research around unpaid carers, show that identification of carers from BAME backgrounds is an important area that needs to be addressed.

The Trust is committed to giving carers, and particularly those from BAME backgrounds who are underrepresented, recognition for the essential role they play in supporting their loved ones who may have mental health issues, disabilities or other concerns. The strategy is coproduced with carers of all ages, in partnership with staff, local authorities, the voluntary care sector, community groups and various carer organisations.

NELFT Executive Chief Nursing Officer, Wellington Makala, said:

“Many carers may not have considered their own needs for years or even see themselves as carers. We’re hoping that this strategy will play a vital role in changing that. By training staff to identify carers and raising awareness their needs we’re hoping to create a space where people not only get the vital support they need but are involved in decision making at all levels so that they can influence and shape future provision and development.”

To read the full report and find out more about PCREF click here.