Caring for Carers: An exploratory study of support needs for unpaid carers of people with serious mental illness in rural contexts in UK

About the Project

Applications are invited for a full-time PhD studentship for the project: Caring for Carers: An Exploratory study of support needs for unpaid carers of people with serious mental illness in rural contexts in the UK.

Context

Around 9% of people in England and Wales provide unpaid informal care for a relative or friend with physical and/or mental health conditions (ONS, 2023).

The UK Government definition of an informal carer is:

“A person is a provider of unpaid care if they look after or give help or support to anyone because of long-term physical or mental health conditions or illnesses, or problems related to old age. This does not include any activities as part of paid employment. No distinction is made about whether any care that a person provides is within their own household or outside the household." (ONS, 2021)

Carers of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI)—such as psychosis or bipolar disorder—are often excluded from formal health care delivery. They frequently need to manage complex responsibilities, including monitoring well-being, responding to relapses, and supporting daily living, often with minimal professional support. This is compounded if the person they are caring for also has a physical long-term condition as well (Carswell, 2024).

Many carers, as they get older, face their own health challenges. Nearly half of unpaid carers report that caring had an adverse effect on their health (ONS 2024). About half of informal carers are not unable to work, and this adds to financial concerns as well as increasing social isolation.

What is already known

A report on rural mental health (HoC Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee 2021) highlighted limited service access, higher suicide risk in farming communities, and a need for crisis cafés in rural areas. Rural unpaid carers often face isolation, long travel distances, and service scarcity. A recent systematic review of qualitative studies of carer experiences (Cleary et al., 2020) included 40 studies, of which only 2 were from UK. The review highlighted the need for stronger relationships between carers and healthcare professionals, reduced social isolation, and better access to tailored support groups for carer well‑being. There was no mention of rurality (especially in the UK context) and how this may compound social isolation and access to support for informal carers.

There is no UK-specific evidence on the needs and support provision of rural carers of people with SMI. This PhD will address this gap by identifying current provisions in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, factors that may exclude carers from support, as well as conducting qualitative interviews with a diverse group of rural carers to obtain their perspectives. In addition, the study will explore how intersecting inequalities (such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and sexuality/ gender) may impact on informal carer support in rural communities.

Research Questions

1. What is already known about carer support needs (and how these are addressed) in rural contexts and what are the gaps in knowledge?
2. What types of support currently exist in Worcestershire and Herefordshire for those who care for people with SMI?
3. What are carer support needs in Worcestershire and Herefordshire, and what are the challenges they face in getting their needs met?
4. What is the impact of intersecting inequalities on carers needs being identified and met?

Supervisory team:

• Director of Studies: Professor Elizabeth Hughes, Professor of Mental Health Inequalities, Director of Rural Mental Health Research Unit, lead for NIHR THRIVE Programme, University of Worcester, UK
• Supervisors: Dr Molly Miley, Research Fellow, THRIVE Programme, Rural Mental Health Research Unit, University of Worcester, UK
• External Advisor: Dr Martin Webber, Director of Mental Health Social Care Research Centre, University of York

Details of the studentship:

The studentship is offered for a 4-year period on a full-time basis. During the period of your studentship you will receive the following:

• a tax-free bursary of £20,407 for 3 years
• a fee-waiver for 4 years
• a budget to support your project costs
• a laptop and other IT equipment or software as appropriate to the project
• use of the Doctoral School facilities

You will be expected to play an active role in the life of both the Doctoral School and of the School. You will be given opportunities to gain experience in learning and teaching within the School under the guidance of your Director of Studies.

Application Process:

The closing date for this studentship is Friday 8th May 2026.

To begin the application process for this studentship please go to our webpage and click ‘apply now’ next to the project you wish to apply for. It is expected that applicants will have the following qualifications:

• A Masters in the area of Health Care or equivalent professional experience.
• A First or Upper Second Honours Degree