1. Carers are: Isolated Isolated Unsupported Unsupported Not informed Not informed Dealing with very challenging behaviour Dealing with very challenging behaviour Saving the NHS lots of money Saving the NHS lots of money

2. ROYAL COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRY The Carers Forum at the Royal College Of Psychiatry aims to: Support and provide input into the work of the college to ensure that all policy and activity have an input from experiences and perspectives of service users and carers Try to have a service user and carer on various mental health committees Respond to and initiate strategic policy Contribute to the development of good practise guidelines Contribute to the training of the college members

3. Achievements Peer Research World Mental Health Festival What Works Conference Working with the mental health services

4. Giving carers a voice Giving carers a voice Community care forum Community care forum Face to face meetings Face to face meetings Giving information to carers Giving information to carers Working with statutory mental health services Working with statutory mental health services Carers Charter Carers Charter

5. Services are fragmented Budgets are tight Need to: Collaborate Communicate Work together to make services as good as they can be