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NELFT NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of community health and mental health services across the north east London Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Essex and Kent and Medway.
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NELFT publishes carers report findings as part of PCREF
![PCREF report, holding hands, nelft logos](/media/images/versions/img94joktmu725777.png)
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.
Age | 0-19 | 20-39 | 40-59 | 60-79 | 80-90+ | TOTAL 20-90+ |
Total Number | 10265 | 1771 | 1150 | 1676 | 2715 | 7312 |
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.
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.