Family Meetings – Information Leaflet

When a person is experiencing mental health problems and needs the help of mental health services this will also have an impact on the lives of those who care about them. This may include a partner, relatives, close friends and important others.

Family meetings offer a place where those who are concerned about the situation can talk together with a member of staff in a relaxed manner. The family meetings will concentrate on people’s strengths and on finding new ways of approaching difficulties and moving forward.

Family meetings allow for families to:
• Provide support to family members who are experiencing stress
• Draw upon family members’ knowledge and experience
• Share ideas and information
• Think together about new ways of understanding and dealing with problems and symptoms
• Discuss plans and hopes for the future

Staff who meet with you recognise that the distress that people feel in their personal and family lives is often related to social injustices. Therefore, we aim to work in a way that recognises the influence of gender, age, race, culture, ethnicity, religion, sexuality and disability.

The family meetings will be hosted by a member of staff who has experience and training in working with families.

The meetings provide an opportunity to talk together with staff about things that are causing concern. Hopefully, the meeting will be a place where you can talk in a way that feels relaxed and safe, and which helps the family to think about things differently and find new ways of tackling difficulties.

Everyone’s situation is unique so there is no set plan for the discussion. Family meetings generally last an hour. There might be a single meeting, or there might be more. This will depend on the needs and preferences of the people involved.

It is often helpful for the whole family or all of those who are concerned about the situation to come together. At the same time, it is important that people don’t feel pressurised to take part, and the meetings can still be extremely helpful when not everyone is present.

The family meetings will take place on the ward.

In general, what you say in the meeting is private. Any exceptions will be discussed with you. In very exceptional circumstances, where there are serious concerns that someone may be at risk, we are obliged to pass on this information to the appropriate professionals.

Please ask if you have any concerns at all about confidentiality.

Please speak to a member of staff on the ward who will arrange for you to be given answers to your questions.

Further information about the family meetings is available on the Association for Family Therapy website, along with a copy of the Professional Code of Ethics that staff adhere to.

Website: www.aft.org.uk

Association for Family Therapy – www.aft.org.uk

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website
• telephone the Complaints Department on 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected]. Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk

We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention. You can provide feedback in the following ways:

• the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourvoice
• complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff
• other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourfeedback

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved ones care.

We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

North of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 032 0202
Email: [email protected]
Post: FREEPOST PALS

South of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 328 4397
Text: 07825 061 035
Email: [email protected]
Post: Patient Advice and Liaison Service, Garden Lodge, Hopewood Park, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0NB

9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday

An answerphone is available at all times for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre on 0191 246 7288.

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2025 Copyright: Cumbria. Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref: PIC/411/0125 January 2025 V7

Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0191 246 7288

Review date 2028