What is a carer?
A carer is anyone who cares for a family member or friend who, due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, cannot cope without their support. The care they provide is unpaid.
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What does it mean to be a carer?
Why use the term?
As a first step it is important that you recognise that you are a carer. Even though you will see yourself as a wife, husband, son, daughter, mother or father, you are still caring for someone.
Why it matters
By recognising you have a caring role, it can open up the doors to information, support and advice that can help. Caring for someone can affect your own health and wellbeing so getting help early is important.
We're here to help
how we can assist you
Sharing information between all those involved in a person’s care and support can be extremely helpful to health professionals, carers and the cared for.
There is a lot of support available for carers both locally and nationally. We have pulled together a variety of useful resources you can access.
We are committed to involving patients, families and carers in the continual improvement of the quality of the services we provide.
Support and guidance
read our helpful guides for carers
Coping with Coronavirus
As a carer it is important that you have access to information and support during the COVID-19 emergency. Get advice on the important things you should be doing and what you can do to look after yourself at this difficult time.
employment advice
Juggling work and caring can be very stressful and exhausting. As a working carer you have rights. There are statutory rights at work to help and support working carers.
Good advice
Family circumstances mean that from an early age some children and young people provide regular care and support to another family member. Young carers often take on practical and/or emotional caring responsibilities that would normally be expected of an adult.
suicide and self-harm prevention
We know that carers are fundamental to mental health care. We realise that caring might involve looking after someone one who may be at risk of self-harm or be experiencing suicidal thoughts. Read on to learn strategies for managing risks and concerns.
Contact us
Contact us at this email address if you have an enquiry. Someone will get back to you with any help you may need.
Who to contact in an emergency
If you have a physical health emergency
- Dial 999 if you think that your life, or that of another person, is at immediate risk
Dial 111 if you need medical help fast for a physical health problem, but it’s not an emergency. They will determine if you need to visit an emergency department (A&E) or your local Minor injuries unit
If you have a mental health emergency
- Call 999 if you think that your life, or that of another person, is at immediate risk.
- Call the freephone Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health Helpline if you need help with a mental health problem, but it is not a life-threatening situation. For adults and older adults call 0800 783 0119. For children and young people call 0800 783 0121. This number replaces 111 for mental health advice.
For Swindon, Wiltshire and Bath & North East Somerset (BaNES) there are different helplines available
All areas: For help out of hours between 5pm and 9am and at weekends call 01865 901000
Weekdays 9am – 5pm in Wiltshire & BaNES call 01865 903777
Weekdays 9am – 5pm in Swindon call: 01793 463177
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Important notice
Visiting restrictions at Oxford Health inpatient wards
There is currently no visiting to any of our community hospitals and mental health inpatient wards.
- Prescribed app
This is a prescribed app. It should only be used alongside a face to face intervention provided by a mental health worker. Check with your local service to see if they subscribe to the app.