People who look after family members or friends can get extra help at a weekly Carers’ Café — an informal drop-in for unpaid carers — held at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, Oxfordshire.
The sessions take place every Thursday throughout 2026 between 12:00 noon and 1:30pm at the Level 3 Restaurant. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) is running the event to give unpaid carers a space to rest and talk with others in similar situations.
Visitors can grab a coffee and speak with hospital staff or outreach workers from Carers Oxfordshire (a partnership between Action for Carers [Oxfordshire] and Rethink Mental Illness). Those staff offer peer support and signposting to practical services such as benefits, legal rights and respite/breaks from caring.
The initiative aims to reduce the emotional and social isolation some unpaid carers experience by providing a place to meet without needing a formal appointment.
Hospital staff want to hear from residents about their experiences to help improve local services. Those who wish to provide feedback can do so through the OUH Patient Feedback website. Note: sessions may be temporarily relocated or paused during hospital emergencies or infection outbreaks — attendees should check the OUH events page before travelling.
