MHCN Report – Carer Experiences of Crisis Response

Thank you to the Mental Health Carer Advocacy Network (MHCAN) members who took part in our Carer Experiences of Crisis Response Survey in April 2026.

The results confirm what we’ve long known: Carers are often left out of assessment, treatment planning and discharge, and what they’re calling for is better, more informed care for their loved ones. The findings already shaped MHCN’s contribution to TheMHS Forum 2026 in May, where MHCN’s Carer Peer Facilitator, Melissa Goldman, drew on her own lived experience and the survey results to call on services to listen to carers, keep them in the loop, provide information, and support them.

Some key points that were illustrated in the survey results included:

• Police were involved in crisis response almost as often as health services (49%)

• Only 45% felt able to provide information during assessment

• Just 33% felt involved in treatment planning, and 31% in discharge planning

• Only 25% were given information to understand their loved one’s condition, and 27% were told about local services

• Just 18% had access to a Carer Peer Worker or Family and Carer Support Worker, yet this was linked to a 20% increase in positive experiences overall

Click here to read the full survey report