new rights for carers queens speach

[catanddog]

I understand that from the queens speach, there are new rights for carers, can anyone tell me what these rights are and when they come into effect.

I am still unpaid caring for my friend, the situation has deterioated and I am finding it very difficult to cope caring for my friend.

There are just continous problems with the NHS, doctors etc and equipment, the equipment breaks down then it's a week or two before it can be fixed, my friend relys on this equipment and when it breaks, her life is made a lot more difficult. I am trying to help my friend thro, it's just a nightmare, she doesn't seem to have any kind of support worker.
Surely there should be someone she can contact to sort all this out.
I have tried to get a carers assessment but been refused as I don't give enough support, but I am doing an awful lot for my friend, it is taking over my life.

What rights do I have as a carer, my friend just always seems to be in a mess, I can say no, I am not going to help, but she is a friend, but that just leaves my friend in a worse pickle and then again its me who has to clear up the aftermath.

If I can get an assessment maybe I can speak about how all my friends problems are affecting me and come to some sort of solution.

[bowlingbun]

A local authority should not refuse to do a Carers Assessment, from what you have written caring is clearly having a significant effect on your life. Have they done a Needs Assessment for your friend? Does it need updating? Does she have a "package of care"? If vital equipment breaks then it should be replaced immediately, my mum's Zimmer developed problems with it's wheels and it was changed within hours, so it can be done. Failure to do so would mean that the local authority was leaving mum "at risk". Contact Social Services today, stress the urgency of the situation, and follow it up with a letter sent Recorded Delivery, to show you mean business. Feel free to mention on the Forum when there is an individual problem, there is a huge amount of knowledge on anything and everything caring related. It might help replies if you mentioned the local authority area you live in, as they all seem to operate slightly differently; and then problem your friend suffers from, as there might be other forums or organisations which could help. In preparation, keep a brief diary about what you do for your friend, and the amount of time you are spending doing it. Be sure to include phone calls, shopping, etc. etc. because these take lots of "hidden" care time.

[g.herschel]

nowt will change same old story......means testing stll alive and well....

[catanddog]

Thanks for the reply, my friend has had a needs assessment and a package of limited care but the council just don't and can't as they say cover everything.
But unless her physical needs have changed then no upgrade, if she is depressed then she should goto the doctors, been to the doctors not very helpful.

the things I am helping with the council just don't do hence the need for 6 million unpaid carers in the uk.
The council just won't and can't take her out for the day so she is stuck sitting at home on her own unless I take her out, I am working full time, I can't take her out everyday.
She needs a holiday but a hoist equipped cottage would be £400 a week, neither me or my friend have £400 to spare.

It seems the council have it covered, any request no we can't do that, no we haven't get the funds. her house needs painting, she can't do it the council won't help.

I suspect even if I did have a carers assessment, the results will be NILL as the council don't do this and don't do that.

If someone can tell me about these new rights for carers and assessments, the council have said I just don't do enough for my friend in order to warrant a carers assessment.

[bowlingbun]

You need to get their refusal to do a Carers Assessment in writing. Then make a formal complaint at their failure to do so, and say that if they don't do it you will ask the Local Government Ombudsman to investigate.

[charles47]

I'd go with Bowlingbun on this.

The rules about Carers Assessments are that if the person you're caring for has social care needs, and you provide "substantial and regular" care - that is, that you are doing enough caring that it impacts on your life - you have the right to a Carers Assessment. Check their website for their eligibility criteria for a Carers Assessment - it's always worth hitting back with specific answers to their own rules. Always assuming that their rules are legal - sometimes councils get it wrong.