Helping hidden carers get support
18 April 2008
Like any area, South West Surrey has vast numbers of ‘invisible’ hidden carers who don’t know what support is available and struggle on alone. Carers in Guildford and Waverley were determined to tackle this. By getting GPs and the local MP involved in activities they have raised the profile of carers and help carers to come forward.
Getting GPs to identify and support carers: carers' recognition worker
Carers in Guildford recognised that carers weren’t on the GP’s radar – census figures indicate that there are 18,112 carers identified within the area but only 600 were registered with their GPs. The local strategy group put together a project involving a Carers Recognition Worker to work with the 29 GPs practices to understand the role of carers, and how they could support them to enable more to be identified and put in touch with their local independent carers support and / or social services.
Early success
The project worker Alison Brock has been in post for approximately 6 months and already had an impact. Speaking to the Guardian, earlier this year, she said, "If the carer's health breaks down, it then falls on the NHS to pick up the pieces. We are trying to communicate to GPs that looking after carers is a sound investment in continuity of care."
It is important that everyone is able to identify carers," she says. "For example, staff need to be alert to the fact that if a mum comes in with a disabled child, she is not only a mum but a carer too." Key to her success has been ensuring that information is available in different formats– she is working with one surgery to develop an online carers’ forum.
Support from local MP
Carers Support groups have continued to highlight the support that is available for carers. They held a Parent Carers Forum in March to encourage new carers to come forward.
Local MP Anne Milton, Shadow Health Minister, an active champion of carers issues came along to give her support. She reflected that the event “will go a long way towards building communication and confidence, and raising awareness about the gaps in services and the complicated systems that parent carers have to battle with." Planning for similar events in the future is underway.
Our latest Equal Partners briefing highlights how the NHS can support carers - more....
Read the Guardian article about Alison Brock’s carer identification role here...
Carers Support Guildford & Carers Support Waverley
www.carersnet.org.uk/guildls/home.html
Guildford & Waverley GPs - more...
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