People with long-term physical health conditions asked to share their experiences of managing the emotional toll

They want to speak to people whose lives are affected by conditions that can be managed but often not cured – such as diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, some cancers and cardiovascular diseases, and many other conditions that are not as widely known.

They said: “We know that having a long-term physical health problem can take a major emotional toll. We are looking to understand people’s experiences of managing the emotional and psychological impact of living with these conditions. We want to understand whether and how people’s emotional support needs are recognised, whether they are met, and how we can improve this support.”

They are especially keen to include people from groups that are sometimes under-represented in research, for example older people, people from black and minority ethnic communities, people who identify as LGBT+, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

The questions cover issues including the services people access, how appointments make them feel and how things have changed over time. There’s also the opportunity to say what improvements would help.

The survey will be open until the end of August.

They will also be undertaking a small number of interviews – which will take about 30-45 minutes. Anybody who is interested should contact jo.wilton@centreformentalhealth.org.uk – click here for more information.

There is also an opportunity for people to provide audio or video recordings of themselves talking about their experiences.