Researchers and families join forces to ensure better mental health support for relatives

Academics at Cardiff University are part of an initiative to provide better support for relatives and carers of people undergoing psychiatric treatment.

The toolkit of dedicated free online resources has been launched to help loved ones of people who have been detained in hospital for treatment under the Mental Health Act 1983, a process that is often referred to as being ‘sectioned’.

Led by the University of Bristol and also including researchers from the University of South Wales and the University of Bath, the Nearest Relatives project was co-created by family members and carers of people who are or have been detained for treatment.

The launch coincides with changes in the Mental Health Act which will see the Nearest Relative role, assigned to a family member by a mental health professional when a relative is detained, being replaced by a Nominated Person role. This role will be chosen by the patient and could be anyone in their support network who will have similar rights and powers to the Nearest Relative.

In addition to comprehensive information, which is written in trauma-informed language and sensitive to cultural diversity, the resources include lived experience stories sharing advice and encouragement.

Hannah, whose name has been changed, is one of the co-creators of the initiative and has been fighting for more than 15 years to help ensure her son receives the mental health care and help he needs.

When first faced with the situation, Hannah felt unprepared and overwhelmed – even with her years of experience supporting vulnerable young people and families.

She said: “I knew something wasn’t quite right and, after trying to manage it as a family, it became clear that we needed professional help. Even with my experience working in multi-agency teams, navigating the mental health system is complex. If I am struggling to get my head around it all, I dread to think what it’s like for others with no background whatsoever, especially at such a traumatic time. That’s why building these resources has been so useful and empowering, they fill in the gaps I was missing and will hopefully provide answers as well as pastoral support for others.”

Partnership has been a crucial part of the Nearest Relatives project, which was supported by charities Mind, Rethink Mental Illness Carers Service in Bristol, Bristol City Council, as well as Professor Judy Laing, from the University of Bristol, Dr Jeremy Dixon from Cardiff University’s Centre for Adult Social Care Research (CARE), Dr Kevin Stone from the University of South Wales, and Dr Harry Bark from the University of Bath.

Judy Laing, Professor of Mental Health Law, Rights and Policy at the University of Bristol, said: “We've brought together a large team from different perspectives and backgrounds to develop the resources, which crucially have been co-created by people with lived experience of the Nearest Relative role. The feedback we’ve received so far has been really positive. We’re not stopping here – the next steps are to make the resources also available in easy-to-read formats and in Welsh, as well as updating them to incorporate changes as the Nominated Person role takes effect.

“Ultimately, this reform means more people could find themselves being asked to safeguard the rights of a relative or friend in mental health care. The good news now is there’s much more support – both for Nearest Relatives and mental health professionals – instantly available to help shine a light for people on this difficult path.”