The second series of Big Room events has been running weekly for nearly four months. This series is focused on understanding the experience of visiting loved ones on wards and exploring how the multi-disciplinary team interact with the support network of their patients along the patient journey.

The Big Room has launched a campaign to gather carer experience feedback to maximise opportunities to hear from a wide range of people. Look out for posters on your ward, reception areas and canteens.

There has been consistent carer and service user involvement in the Big Room to start some of the work of highlighting areas to be improved and are currently looking at improving access to information such as opening hours, guidance for those visiting a mental health ward for the first time and links to services that can provide more support to carers.
The changes are planned to be in place in time for the opening of Highgate West and there are plans to test a carers support group, improve the process for children visiting and improve communications between the MDT and patient’s social network, including supporting them to identify their network in the community.

The Big Room will be hosting workshops to co-design resources in the coming weeks. If you would like to be a part of this or attend a Big Room, please contact sifi.bahuleyan@Candi.nhs.uk for further information.