Sarah has been a Peer Support Worker specialising in Complex Emotional Needs (often framed as ‘Personality Disorder’) at West London NHS Trust in Southall for 18 months. She changed career about five years ago, after a mental-health blip, wanting to give something back. Prior to this, she spent 25 years as a journalist.

She has contributed to nine or ten studies since that time – mostly from a lived experience perspective. She is also Service-User Lead for R&D at the Trust, and is Carers’ Champion for the team. Meanwhile, during this time, Sarah’s gained an MSc in Psychology at Birkbeck College, University of London. Last month she was made an Honorary Research Officer at Imperial College.

Her Improvement Leader Fellowship project is called: ‘Blurred Line: The Role of Carers in Terms of Crisis Management for People with Complex Emotional Needs’. It is hoped that the outcome of the proposed study could lead to the development of a carers’ network across the region and even nationally, and could inspire others to undertake similar projects within their trusts.

Carers are uniquely placed to advise on issues such as emergency care and acting as a conduit between the patient and practitioners. However, unfortunately, carers are also uniquely placed to become embroiled in patients’ own dramas and play a part in the presenting issues. A fine balance must be struck to ensure that patients and carers have an equal role in agreeing goals and the actions needed to meet them.