Emergency Card Scheme ?

[Chris From The Gulag]

Just a quick posting to see if a Carers Emergency Card Scheme still exists ?

In my days as a lone , 24 / 7 carer , I was offered a card by the PRT back in 2001. The problem then was , as a lone carer , with no friends or immediate family available to step into my shoes , who would have been the choice as first point of contact ... excluding my caree of course ? Reps of the PRT said that I could not use them which , at that time , seemed to be the obvious choice ... to me. Never had dealings with the local SS beyond a year's wait for them to offer my caree a few hours per week respite care .... whch was subsequently priced out of our resources at the start of the LA purge in 2004.

Now in 2016 , what would the advice be for a lone carer ?

[christina 17]

Hi

In my area of Denbighshire, we can register ourselves as a carer and receive a card with our Caree's details on it.

I don't know what other authorities do, but I am sure if other authorities don't do on, you could make a card yourself and put it in your wallet or purse, in case you had an accident.
What may I ask is PRT?

Regards
Christina

[Chris From The Gulag]

PRT ?

Princess Royal Trust For Carers .... apparently now known as the Carers Trust. Back in 2001, their local centres were handing out these cards , I received one at the Suffolk meeting held in Oulton Broad on my birthday.

My unanswered question then , and now , is .... for a lone carer , who would the immediate point of contact be in the event of an emergency ? In my case , not really relevant as I spent 10 years " Chained " to my caree. Where I went , she went , and vice versa apart from a few hours per week during the time that respite care was offered by our local LA. Even then , I was on an elastic band ... any problems , and guess who was to be contacted ?

Still a valid question for many. I see no indication of this Scheme having been rolled out nationally ... like the infamous One Stop Carers Shop idea discussed and championed by the PRT some 15 years .... did it die a death and quietly swept under the carpet with present day reps denying all knowledge ?

[susieq]

Basically there is no nationally recognised Carers card scheme - as Christine says some local authorities do issue an emergency contact card which gives details of who to contact if the Carer is involved in an accident or taken ill whilst away from their Caree and alerts the 'authorities' that there is someone, somewhere dependent on the card holder. The emergency services usually check wallets and/or mobile phones for ICE (In Case of Emergency) details as a matter of course.

If there is no-one you would wish to nominate (relative, friend, neighbour ?) as a point of contact in an emergency then I would hope that Social Services would step in to ensure that the Caree is safe and cared for - so a Carer should always make sure that they are carrying some form of ID or contact details if they are out and about without their Caree.

[Chris From The Gulag]

Thanks Susie , what I expected after trying to find out what happened to the original PRT Scheme.

Scheme sounded ideal but ... for a lone carer , and I mean lone , the only point of contact would have been his / her caree.

Your faith in one's local SS maybe commendable. In my past experience with the local outfit in Lowestoft , the words CHOCOLATE and TEAPOT spring to mind.

Times may have changed .... but the apparent lack of support services in 2016 sounds a lot worse than in 2001 .... and , in 2001 , they were virtually non existent ... unless one had the monies to pay for support.