Case study: Engaging patients & carers in mental health care
17 Dec 2025
This case study by the 2025 Clinical Audit Hero Awards Patient & Public Involvement (PPI) joint winner, NHS Mental Health Services in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, showcases how audit can strengthen collaboration between carers, service users and professionals.
Based on The Carers Trust’s Triangle of Care (ToC), the project aims to improve carer engagement and monitor compliance against Trust and ToC standards. It was led by community mental health quality leads, and supported by Clinical Audit and Involvement and Co-production Teams. Carers were also involved in audit ‘scrutiny panels’, to validate results and improve processes across services.
Both the self-assessment and scrutiny panel reviews offer clear opportunities for carers to challenge the initial results. This feedback has been an eye-opener for some!” lived experience carer
The process started with a self-assessment/audit supported by local guidelines that were developed with staff and carers. Results of the audit enabled benchmarking across all teams, and were shared and discussed by the scrutiny panel. Although the audit identified good practice and provided assurance that carer engagement is a
key priority for teams, areas for improvement were identified. These were discussed and addressed through an action plan.
Did the project succeed and, if so, what is the evidence?
- Carers’ packs are in use across the service along with feedback materials
- Carer awareness training has been updated and continues to be delivered
- A carer champion network has been established
- Work is underway to agree a standardised place for carer information to be recorded in electronic records. This action has developed to considering standardising practice across the Trust as a whole.
This case study was developed as part of Clinical Audit Awareness Week 2025 (which took place 2–6 June 2025, #CAAW25). You can explore other available #CAAW25 resources by heading over to the #CAAW25 main webpage.
