COVID-19 UK family carers and policy implications

Juliana Onwumere, Cathy Cresswell, Gill Livingston, David Shiers, Kate Tantchuria, Tony Charman, Ailsa Russell, Janet Tresaure, Marta Di Forti, Emilie Wildman, Helen Minnis, Allan Young, Annette Davis, Elizabeth Kuipers

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

Informal (unpaid) carers are an integral part of all societies and the health and social care systems in the UK depend on them. Despite the valuable contributions and key worker status of informal carers, their lived experiences, wellbeing, and needs have been neglected during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this Health Policy, we bring together a broad range of clinicians, researchers, and people with lived experience as informal carers to share their thoughts on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on UK carers, many of whom have felt abandoned as services closed. We focus on the carers of children and young people and adults and older adults with mental health diagnoses, and carers of people with intellectual disability or neurodevelopmental conditions across different care settings over the lifespan. We provide policy recommendations with the aim of improving outcomes for all carers.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)929-936
Number of pages8
JournalThe Lancet Psychiatry
Volume8
Issue number10
Early online date16 Sept 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Oct 2021

Funding

GL is supported by University College London Hospitals? National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (North Thames NIHR Applied Research Collaboration) as an NIHR senior investigator. This Health Policy is partly funded by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, King's College London; the views expressed are the authors? own and are not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, or the UK Department of Health. CC thanks the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley. GL is supported by University College London Hospitals’ National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (North Thames NIHR Applied Research Collaboration) as an NIHR senior investigator. This Health Policy is partly funded by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, King's College London; the views expressed are the authors’ own and are not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, or the UK Department of Health. CC thanks the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley.

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