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.
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.