Have Your Say on Mental Health Services in Falkirk!

Join a discussion with Falkirk Community Hospital’s Primary Care Mental Health Team Leader

We are pleased to welcome Kara Connor, Primary Care Mental Health Team Leader at Falkirk Community Hospital, who is keen to hear your views and experiences of local mental health services. Kara will also provide information about the support available through the Primary Care Mental Health Team and explain how people can access these services.

Details:

Falkirk carers, you’re invited

Join us to learn more about the upcoming changes to respite, and have your say!

We will welcome Gordon MacKenzie, Localities Service Lead for Falkirk’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), who let us know more about changes and updates that are being made regarding the upcoming respite review.

Please register by 1 pm on Tuesday 11 August; however, if you require a translator, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance.

Have Your Say on Employment Rights for Unpaid Carers

Share your experience and help shape future support for working carers

The Government has launched a new consultation on employment rights for unpaid carers. This is a significant opportunity to influence future support for the millions of unpaid carers who are juggling paid employment with their caring responsibilities.
Carers UK has long called for stronger rights for working carers, and this consultation provides a crucial chance to make the case for change. Importantly, this includes the introduction of a new statutory right to paid Carer’s Leave amongst others.

Through the consultation, the Government is keen to hear from both individuals and employers. Personal experiences can make a real difference in helping policymakers understand the challenges of trying to balance paid work and care.

The consultation closes on Tuesday 1 September 2026. You can find out more about the consultation here, including other ways to submit your response (email or post).

If you have any questions about the consultation, please do not hesitate to contact policy@carersuk.org.

Complete the consultation here.

Supporting older people in our communities

Join the conversation to share your experiences to help promote safer ageing across Scotland.

We will welcome Colin Scott, Community Response Co-ordinator from Hourglass, a charity dedicated to preventing harm, abuse and exploitation of older people across the UK. With more than 25 years’ experience and expertise, Hourglass’ mission is to listen, advise and support vulnerable older people and all those affected throughout the UK.

In Scotland, Hourglass also campaign for policy and legislative change to improve protections for older people, working with the Scottish Government and other partners to promote safer ageing and reduce abuse, neglect and financial exploitation.

Colin will talk about the services and supports they provide to protect older people. Every Falkirk unpaid carer is welcome to attend. Regardless of your age or caring role, your insights, experiences, and views can help create a richer and more meaningful discussion for everyone. 

Please register by 1 pm on Tuesday 4 August; however, if you require a translator, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance.

Unpaid Carers Research Focus Group

Join us to discuss findings and influence future support and policy. 

If you care for someone affected by alcohol and/or drug use, this research may be of interest to you. April Shaw and Greig Inglis, lecturers from the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), will be joining us to present their initial findings from the research titled ‘Behind the Scenes: Understanding the role of unpaid carers looking after people affected by alcohol and other drug use.’

They will be seeking your insights on whether the presented findings accurately reflect people’s experiences and whether there’s anything missing from this research.

More information about the research:

Carers Trust, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD), and the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) have carried out interviews with people who provide unpaid care to someone affected by alcohol and/or drug use. The primary aims of this work are to:
1. Understand the lived experiences of carers who care for a person with substance use problems in Scotland.
2. Inform the development of supports and interventions as well as local and national policy and practice.

The recommendations are aimed at local and national policy makers and organisations involved in developing and delivering services to carers (paid/unpaid) and/or to people affected by drug/alcohol use.

The work is funded by Oxfam and UWS. Notes will be taken during the discussion, but no personal information will be recorded. If you would like more information, contact april.shaw@uws.ac.uk or greig.inglis@uws.ac.uk.

Please register by 1 pm on Tuesday 28 July; however, if you require a translator, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance.

We are inviting Falkirk carers who care for someone with a dementia diagnosis to this consultation.

We would encourage you to join even if you haven’t attended the previous consultations, as your valuable insights can help shape dementia support.

Yvonne Cairns, NHS Forth Valley Dementia and Delirium Lead, and Emma Douglas, leader of the Community Mental Health Team for Older Adult Services, will be joining us again and are continuing to gather your views and experiences related to dementia services and support. The specific topic for this session will be confirmed later. During the session, Yvonne will also talk about how carers’ views and feedback shared in the last few sessions have shaped improvements in the accident and emergency department.

Please register by 1 pm on Tuesday 21 July; however, if you require a translator, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance.

Falkirk Carers, you’re invited! 

NHS Forth Valley is joining us for this consultation.

Karen Goudie, Executive Nurse Director, and Ross McGuffie, Chief Executive of NHS Forth Valley, are looking to hear your views and experiences of the accident and emergency department, admissions to hospital, and the hospital discharge process.

Karen Goudie and Ross McGuffie held a consultation with carers in March. The minutes of this previous meeting can be found here.

Please register by 1 pm on Tuesday 16 June; however, if you require a translator, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance.