Preparing for appointments
Information
Here you’ll find answers to some common questions concerning preparing for appointments about the person you care for.
Select the underlined questions below to see more.
Emotions
Questions
Preparations
Emotions
As a carer for someone with a mental health condition, it can sometimes feel scary or daunting when you are attending appointments with medical professionals to discuss the care and support needs of the person you care for. Due to this, you may feel your emotions are heightened and this can often be a barrier to objectively addressing the important matters that you need help, advice or support with.
Questions
There may be information you want to provide and questions you may want to ask, however, with a little bit of effective preplanning, attending important appointments can be made more manageable.
Preparations
If you can, try to find out:
- Where the appointment is taking place
- If you have to attend in person, where is the building/ department or ward?
- If you are attending a virtual appointment make sure you have the information of how to access the meeting.
- How long is the journey time?
- Is there parking and do I need to pay to park?
- Identify if there is a professional or carers champion within the department/ ward who can support you?
All this information should be accessible through the relevant Trust Website.
Coping with
Top tips to cope if you have worries about preparing for appointments
The following buttons are self-help suggestions
Finding help
What can you do?
- Talk to supportive family, friends.
- Avoid putting yourself under more stress than you need to.
- Avoid keeping things to yourself.
- Join a support group
Select the underlined topics below to view what resources are available.
Helpful websites or services
Helpful websites or services
Getting more help
If you haven’t already found the help you’re looking for, you can find additional information and services which are more interactive here.
Select the underlined topics below to view what resources are available.
Local services
Local services
…in and around North Staffordshire
