In 2023, Cygnet became the first independent provider of health and social care services to be accredited by the Carers Trust Triangle of Care programme.
Cygnet Churchill is now one of eight Cygnet services to be recognised for its continued efforts and commitment to improving the way the services work with carers and families.
The hospital, an inpatient mental health service for men on Lambeth Road, has now achieved the one-star accreditation, meaning staff have successfully demonstrated their commitment to making a difference to the lives of carers.
The team has undertaken rigorous self-assessments to demonstrate how they are embedding the Triangle of Care standards and their commitment to ongoing improvements and clear carer involvement.
The Triangle of Care is an alliance between carers, service users and health professionals. It aims to promote safety and recovery and to sustain wellbeing in mental health by including and supporting carers.
There are an estimated seven million unpaid carers in the UK, 13% of whom support people with mental health conditions. These carers can provide vital insight into the treatment and condition of those they care for. Carers Trust’s Triangle of Care partnership plans to harness that knowledge in an alliance between unpaid carers, those receiving care, services and mental health professionals.
David Wilmott, Director of Nursing at Cygnet Health Care, said the organisation has shown a strong commitment to transform the lives of carers and keep them at the heart of service delivery.
He added: “We are very proud that eight Cygnet Health Care services have been acknowledged by Carers Trust through this accreditation. It is testament to the work being done by our teams to recognise and value the contribution of carers.
“It is our mission to make a positive difference in the lives of the individuals we care for, their loved ones and all those who work with us. Carers are a big part of the Cygnet family and play an integral role in the wellbeing and long-term recovery of those in our care.
“We strive to provide a compassionate and safe environment for our carers where they feel informed, engaged and supported as much as possible.”
- Carers and the essential role they play are identified at first contact or as soon as possible thereafter.
- Staff are ‘carer aware’ and trained in carer engagement strategies.
- Policy and practice protocols regarding confidentiality and sharing information, are in place.
- Defined post(s) responsible for carers are in place.
- A carer introduction to the service and staff is available, with a relevant range of information across the care pathway.
- A range of carer support services are available.
Cygnet Churchill Hospital Manager Theo Bello said: “This is a tremendous achievement and I am proud of my staff for their hard work and commitment towards keeping carers at the heart of our service delivery.
“We really recognise and value the contribution of carers and without including them in our care plans, recovery for the individual would be a lot more difficult. Carers are a big part of the Cygnet family and play an integral role in the wellbeing and long-term recovery of those in our care.
“The life-changing care we deliver to our service users is possible because of how well we engage and support their carers. We couldn’t do it without them.”
In their submission response accrediting Cygnet Churchill, the review panel stated: “The team are enthusiastic about Triangle of Care and very open about the work they still see needed for continuous improvement.
“There is good practice in training, with over 80% of staff undertaking carer awareness training and all team members expected to undertake this, from leadership to frontline staff.
“There are carer leads in place and it is good to see leadership at the hospital were working towards ensuring carer inclusion in the Triangle of Care implementation.
“There was clear enthusiasm in the Cygnet Churchill team for recognising, including, and working alongside carers and those using services in partnership to improve service experience for all.”
Triangle of Care Programme Lead at Carers Trust, Sharon Spurling, commended the work and effort being done at Cygnet hospitals to improve the lives of carers.
“Undertaking the Triangle of Care requires commitment from all levels of an organisation to honestly report how the standards are met and to acknowledge where improvements are needed. The Cygnet hospitals have shown that their work supports wider system change for how carers are recognised and supported as equal and expert partners in care”.