How carers' needs can be met by staff within inpatient settings: a qualitative study

Inpatient admissions can increase carer stress rather than provide respite. The aim of this study was to gain carers' perspectives about how their needs can be met during an inpatient admission. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 carers whose relatives had been admitted to inpatient care at least once. Interviews were analysed thematically. Carers described a fear of relinquishing responsibility for care, which was exacerbated by concerns about the quality of care provided by staff. Better experiences were possible when carers were given information, ranging from generic information about symptoms or how the mental health system works, information about patients' needs and carer support systems. Communication is key and needs to be a two-way process, with carers and staff learning from each other to support patients. Inpatient staff need training in carer involvement, including ways of engaging carers when patients do not give consent to information sharing.