Support for family carers of people with dementia in mental health wards
Family Interventions iN Dementia Mental Health Environments
This project will try practical ways to support family carers of people with dementia when their relative is admitted to a mental health ward by surveying wards, interviewing carers and staff, and co‑designing strategies.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 343 (estimated) |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of West London Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (London) |
| Trial ID | NCT06937541 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational project maps care and carer support across UK mental health wards for people living with dementia. The team will survey ward managers nationwide, conduct longitudinal interviews with current carers (including repeated interviews over 12 months) and interviews with discharged carers, and observe ward routines and staff practices. Findings will be used in co‑design workshops with carers and staff to create practical strategies to improve carer involvement and support. The investigators will produce materials to share and explore whether these strategies can be implemented across UK services.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal participants are adult family members or friends who are carers of a person with dementia currently admitted to—or recently discharged from—a UK mental health ward, and ward managers of units that care for people with dementia.
Not a fit: Carers of people not admitted to mental health wards, carers under 18, those without capacity to consent, staff who are not ward managers, and wards that do not admit people with dementia are not eligible and are unlikely to benefit directly from the project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could produce practical, co‑designed supports that reduce carer distress, improve carer involvement in care, and help people with dementia leave hospital sooner or avoid readmission.
How similar studies have performed: Co‑design and carer‑involvement projects in other care settings have shown benefits for carers and patients, but there is little prior research specifically focused on dementia care in mental health wards, so this approach is relatively novel for this setting.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Survey Inclusion Criteria: * Ward managers of mental health wards that provides care to PLWD * Ward managers from NHS wards that provides care to PLWD * Ward managers from private providers that provides care to PLWD * Ward managers that work on organic or mixed wards that provides care to PLWD Exclusion Criteria: * Functional older adult mental health wards that do not provide care to PLWD * Staff members who are not the ward manager Longitudinal interviews with current carers Inclusion criteria: * Family member (any relationship) or friend of a PLWD currently receiving care on a mental health ward * Aged 18 years old or above * Has capacity to consent to participate in an interview * Willing to take part in 3 interviews over 12 months Exclusion criteria: * The carer is actively involved in a safeguarding investigation. * The carer is under 18 years old * The carer does not have capacity to consent to participate in an interview Interviews with discharged carers Inclusion criteria: * Family member (any relationship) or friend of a PLWD discharged from the ward within the last 3 years * Aged 18 years old or above * Has capacity to consent to participate in an interview * Willing to take part in an interview Exclusion criteria: * The carer is actively involved in a safeguarding investigation * The carer is under 18 years old * The carer does not have capacity to consent to participate in an interview Interviews with People Living With Dementia (PLWD) Inclusion criteria: * PLWD currently under the care of the mental health ward * PLWD discharged from the care of a dementia mental health ward within the last 3 years * Has capacity to give informed consent to taking part in an interview * Willing to take part in an interview alongside their carer Exclusion criteria: * The PLWD is actively involved in a safeguarding investigation * The PLWD does not have capacity to consent to participate in an interview * The PLWD is not willing to take part in an interview alongside their carer * The PLWD has been discharged from the care of a dementia mental health ward for more than 3 years Co-design study - PLWD and carers Inclusion criteria: * PLWD who may, or may not, have experience of dementia mental health wards * Carers (family members or friends) of PLWD who may, or may not, have experience of dementia mental health wards * Willing to talk about mental health and dementia * Aged 18 years old or above * Have capacity to give informed consent Exclusion criteria: * Participants who do not have experience of living with, or caring for someone with, dementia * Not willing to talk about mental health and dementia * Aged under 18 years old * Does not have capacity to give informed consent Co-design study - staff Inclusion criteria: * Members of staff working within mental health wards for PLWD * Members of staff of any professional group in a role that involves contact with carers (e.g. health care assistants, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, family therapists, psychiatrists etc) * Members of staff of any pay band or grade * Students on placement in a mental health ward * Members of staff working on NHS or private wards Exclusion criteria: * The staff member is actively involved in a safeguarding investigation * Members of staff that do not work within mental health wards for PLWD Feasibility study - PLWD and carers Inclusion criteria: * PLWD * Carer (family or friend; current or bereaved) * Willing to review outputs related to mental health wards * Aged 18 years old or above * Capacity to consent to take part Exclusion criteria: * The participant (PLWD or carer) is actively involved in a safeguarding investigation. * Is not willing to review outputs related to mental health wards * Aged under 18 years old * Does not have capacity to consent to take part Feasibility study - staff Inclusion criteria: * Members of staff working within mental health wards for PLWD * Members of staff of any professional group in a role that involves contact with carers (e.g. health care assistants, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, family therapists, psychiatrists etc) * Members of staff of any pay band or grade * Students on placement in a mental health ward * Members of staff working on NHS or private wards Exclusion criteria: * The staff member is actively involved in a safeguarding investigation * Members of staff that do not work within mental health wards for PLWD
Where this trial is running
London
- Geller Institute of Aging and Memory, University of West London — London, United Kingdom (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Prof Emma Wolverson, DClinPsy — University of West London
- Study coordinator: Prof Emma Wolverson, DClinPsy
- Email: emma.wolverson@uwl.ac.uk
- Phone: 02082094277
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.