better care | Carer Support Wiltshire

GP Carers Scheme Hits New Heights

July 14, 2016 by Jules Stanbridge Leave a Comment

The Carer Support Wiltshire Investors in Carers GP Accreditation Scheme held their annual awards evening in July to recognise and celebrate those Wiltshire GP practices who have gone above and beyond for unpaid carers. This year saw a record number of submissions and winners, with 37 practices achieving awards.

The scheme, funded by Wiltshire Council and the NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group aims to raise awareness of carers’ issues in GP practices and recognise their support to carers with the awards

To achieve a gold award, practices need to meet more than a dozen requirements, including; maintaining an up-to-date carer’s register, having a carer’s lead, providing flexible appointments for carers and holding at least one carer’s clinic per year. Twenty two practices were awarded a Gold Plus award for their ongoing gold standard commitment to carers.

“We are privileged in Wiltshire to receive such expert and friendly support from Carer Support Wiltshire; they have never failed to deliver with advice for me, as Carers Lead, or for a vital help and support for our much valued carers.” Caren Clarke, Carers Lead at Three Swans Surgery in Salisbury who won a Gold Plus Award.

Ann cares for her husband, John and is a patient at the Endless Street Surgery, Salisbury who also won a Gold Plus Award.

“Everyone at the surgery has been brilliant. Not long after a period in hospital (for a broken pelvis) I attended a carer health check at the surgery. At the time I was finding it difficult to get out and felt quite low. I was referred to one of the Carer Clinics where I met Julian, a support worker at Carer Support Wiltshire. Julian was lovely and full of information. He referred me to Adult Social Care Services to see if I could get more support caring for my husband.”

21% of carers providing over 50 hours of care say they are in poor health compared with nearly 11% of the non-carer population with 39 % putting off medical treatment because of their caring role.

Since the start of the Investors in Carers scheme there has been improved identification of previously unknown carers, including young carers, with GPs being the main source of these referrals. Because of surgery carer health checks, 624 carers were seen at clinics in the last twelve months with 134 (21%) being referred for a follow on health appointment because of a health concern identified at the appointment. Health issues identified include high BMI, diabetes, depression, substance misuse and back pain.

Paul Wilkins who attends the Hindon Surgery recently praised the scheme in his recent blog:

“The Hindon Surgery Carers’ Clinic was a terrific and very worthwhile experience which really opened up our eyes to the many ways the NHS, the surgery, charity and Wiltshire Council are genuinely trying to help carers, as well as support the way in which loved ones themselves are cared for.”

You can read his blog here: https://hindonwiltshire.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/who-cares-for-the-carers/

A big thank you to Bianca Goss Photography for donating her services.

Some names have been changed.

Unpaid carers can’t keep on plugging gaps

February 22, 2016 by Jules Stanbridge Leave a Comment

Unpaid carers can’t keep on plugging gaps in the NHS and social care, writes Paul Burstow in The Guardian.

It is plain is that the tone of the debate about the role of unpaid carers needs to change. Research has underlined how badly this is needed. Moved to Care took a look at the implications of UK migration policy for the future care workforce. Its stark conclusion is that there will be a shortfall of 200,000 people needed to meet the care of a larger older and more frail population. And Horizon 2035: Future Demand for Skills, found that demand for health and care skills could grow more than twice as fast as overall population growth by 2035.

Add to that the result of a poll for the Astellas Innovation Debate, which found that 52% of the public do not have confidence that the government will provide them with high-quality social care in later life, and the picture is stark. There is an enormous and expanding gap between demand and provision.

Read the full article here:

Tell Us What You Think About the Care Act for Carers

February 1, 2016 by Jules Stanbridge Leave a Comment

Carers Trust, the UK’s largest charity for carers today has launched a review of the Care Act to look at what difference the act has made to unpaid carers one year on.

Carers Trust will be working with former care minister Paul Burstow who will chair a commission receiving evidence from carers and carers organisations to hear their views on how well they think the act is working – what has worked well and what still needs to be improved.

The new Care Act, which came into force on 1 April 2015, gave carers rights on a par with the people they care for, which includes an entitlement to an assessment of their own needs. This includes taking into consideration the carer’s health and wellbeing, family relationships and their need to balance their home life with their education or work. If they are found to be eligible they are entitled to support funded by their local authority. In addition, all local authorities must provide advice and information and prevent carers’ needs from getting worse.

There are at more than five million unpaid carers in the England, often working around the clock to care for a friend or family member, who due to illness, disability a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support.

Former Care Minister Rt Hon Prof Paul Burstow said:

“The Care Act introduced vital new rights for carers. I worked hard with the carers movement to ensure these made it onto the statute book. One year on is a good time to hear about the difference this is making to carers’ lives – the positives and the negatives.

“I am pleased to be asked by Carers Trust to chair this commission to shine a spotlight on the difference the new rights are making, as well as identifying the lessons that can help ensure carers get the support they are entitled to.”

Gail Scott-Spicer, CEO of Carers Trust, said:

“We are keen to see the difference that the Care Act has made to the millions of unpaid carers who look after family or friends day in, day out, so we want to get their views so that we can ensure they are receiving the help and support they desperately need to carry out their role.

“The review will help us to know what is being done and what else needs to be done to better support them.”

The call for evidence opens today (February 1) and will run for seven weeks until 18 March. The findings will be reviewed by a panel of experts and advisers and the details will be released in a report in summer. They want to hear from:

Carers, especially anyone who has received a carer’s assessment or support as a carer from their local authority since 1 April 2015,
Local and national organisations which provide support for unpaid carers,
Local authority and NHS carers leads and commissioners
health and care professionals who support carers

To take part in the call for evidence, visit here or www.carers.org/careactcarers

GP Carers Scheme Hits New Heights

Tell Us What You Think About the Care Act for Carers

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