Back Me Up

Back up for carers

The problem

Without the right support caring can seriously damage your health. 625,000 carers suffer mental and physical ill health as a direct consequence of the stress and physical demands of caring.

Many carers say they feel ignored and invisible and have to constantly battle for the most meagre of services.  The social care system is seriously underfunded and in crisis. This has devastating consequences for disabled people and a knock on effect for carers who have no option but to fill the gap. Many carers are outside the social care system and get no help whatsoever. The public’s expectations of what the state will provide should a person require care are widely different from the harsh reality.

What we want

Carers UK's Back Me Up campaign is calling on Government to radically overhaul and invest in the health and social care system. We want a care system which is funded through a clear, simple and sustainable deal, entered into by the state, community, family and individuals.

A social care system should

• Be easy to understand, access and use.
• Enable people to assess their own needs and to choose the right support.
• Reach more people, earlier.
• Deliver quality and reliable services for the person being looked after which will improve their independence and that of their carer.
• Design health and social care services around the time and availability of carers, including their working lives.

Specifically we want

• Quality breaks offered at the right time.
• Priority support from their GP such as fast-track appointments and regular health checks.
• A reliable UK wide emergency back up package of care should the carer fall ill, go into hospital or need to recover from an illness.
• Training for carers to protect their health and safety on things like safe lifting, medical procedures such as changing tubes, drips and catheters and administering medications.
• Training for health and social care professionals so that they recognise and value carers’ contribution.
• Assessments for services made simpler to complete.
• Direct payments and individual budgets to be a choice for those who want them and with the right back up to make them work.
• Help offered to carers in their own right if the person they are caring for refuses services.
• Telecare and telehealth to be offered to improve the independence of the person being cared for and the carer.

Carers UK has teamed up with Help the Aged and Counsel and Care on a joint campaign - Right Care Right Deal - to build public awareness and support for brave and innovative solutions for the social care system. more...