Unpaid Carers Experience of Mental Health during the Pandemic
Healthwatch BaNES and Healthwatch Swindon worked with NHS England and NHS Improvement to support the delivery of NHS E& I commitment to carers learning pandemic legacy project.
What did we do?
This project was carried out between mid-February to April 2022 and included an online survey, paper questionnaire and direct engagement sessions, providing a snapshot of people’s feedback.
We engaged with the Carers Centre in both Swindon and BaNES, health and social care services including the voluntary sector which played a key role in providing care and support during the challenging times of Covid 19 taking the strain off Core NHS services.
What did we find out?
The effects of the pandemic have been substantial on unpaid carers.
- The majority of carers who came forward were White British with only a small percentage from ethnic minorities.
- Carers from ethnic minorities face additional challenges due to language barriers and difficulties in accessing culturally suitable services.
- Health and social care services need to better identify carers.
- Within BaNES there is an issue of accessibility to support due to the rural nature of the area.
Conclusions and recommendations.
The feedback we collected showed that the effect of the pandemic has been substantial on unpaid carers particularly affecting their mental health.
We need to acknowledge that some the issues identified have been amplified by the pandemic not caused by it.
Establishing a strong network of support and communication is essential for carers who play a key role in the lives of millions of people in the UK.
