Carers of Long-Stay Patients’ Perspectives of Secure Forensic Care: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: For patients with a mental disorder facing lengthy stays in secure forensic care, the role and experiences of their carers has only recently started to be explored in research.

Aims: To explore the experiences of carers of longstay patients in low-to-high- secure forensic care.

Methods: This exploratory qualitative study included two focus groups and two written responses.

Findings: Focus groups identified importance of communication, and improving carer knowledge of services as methods of meaningful inclusion in treatment and recovery.

Conclusions: Better involvement of carers may help improve trust in services and develop a strong bond between parties involved in longer-term care, treatment, and recovery.

Keywords:

• Forensic psychiatry
• secure services
• support
• carer’s experiences

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all carers and service-users for their insight and participation in the planning and undertaking of this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest concerning this research.

Notes

1 These are meetings of carers the hospital arrange at regular intervals and are not related to this research. They did, however, provide an opportunity for the researchers to capture a carers’ audience.

2 Held every six months to review a patient’s care and plan their future care.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research; reference: HS&DR 11/1024/06. The sponsor was Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.