OPAL is a research programme that aims to adapt a one-to-one carer peer support programme for delivery in England. This programme will be adapted from a programme developed in Germany (known as the EX-IN programme) which reduced caregiving stress and improved quality of life of carers. We will establish the costs of peer support for carers, whether the programme is acceptable to relevant stakeholders such as carers, service users and other beneficiaries, and whether it can actually be delivered in practice. If needed for the delivery of the programme, we will adjust our plans and make note of any adjustments made. The recent Mental Health Act (MHA) review has recognised the need to support carers; however, at present, there are no routinely available services in England providing support for carers (Mental Health Act Review., 2018).

The OPAL study will last from June 2021 to November 2023 and is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (Chief Investigator: Prof. Domenico Giacco).

It is led by the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT) and the University of Warwick. The work for this project is being carried out at CWPT, East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) and Devon Partnership Trust (DPT). OPAL involves collaborative work engaging various stakeholders, including: carers, service users, health and social care professionals, charity officers, commissioners and other policymakers.