Mental health problems

If the person you’ve been looking after has a mental health problem, these are some of the issues you may be facing:

• lack of information regarding mental illness
• difficulty in engaging with mental health teams, in hospital and the community.
• stress both physical and mental.
• stigma.

You are not alone.

Through Rethink and the three Oxfordshire carers' centres you can get help with

• information relating to severe and enduring mental illness
• advocacy at mental health meetings
• emotional support
• contact with other mental health carers

All of which will help you to carry on in your role as a relative, friend or partner of someone with a severe mental illness.

Rethink run carers education and training programmes for people supporting someone with a mental health problem. 01865 455877 for details.

Local support

• NHS mental health
  
  
• Oxfordshire County Council's Access to Information and Services team can be contacted at 0845 050 7666. Staff will help you to contact the services you need. Hours are: Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am to 5pm; Friday, 8.30 am to 4pm. Fax: 01865 854443 access@oxfordshire.gov.uk.Out of hours emergency number: 0800 833408 (freephone)
  
  
• Rethink Carers Support Project: 01865 455877. Rethink members group: 0845 456 0455 (local call rate)
  
  
• Mind: 01865 511702
  
  
• Mental Health Matters: 01865728981
  
  
• Oxfordshire carers' centres
  
  
• Oxfordshire Carers' Forum

National organisations

• Rethink – National Advice Service: 020 8974 6814, 10am-3pm, Monday to Friday

• Sainsbury’s Centre for Mental Health  020 7827 8300

• Richmond Fellowship 0207 697 3300

• SANE  0845 767 8000, 1pm to 11pm every day