Carer Support Wiltshire have health and communities engagement workers who are based both in the community and the acute and community hospitals in Wiltshire. The roles have three main elements to it:
- To raise carer awareness amongst healthcare professionals within an acute setting and act as their recognised point of contact
- To raise awareness of the needs of adult carers within health, social care and the voluntary sector by promoting the identification, recognition and needs of carers throughout Wiltshire
- Raising awareness of the needs of adult carers across businesses, companies and the public sector.
This is achieved by building positive working relationships and partnerships, delivering carer awareness training sessions, marketing and participation in relevant working groups. From the contacts and work generated new initiatives are created and developed to improve carers experience within the health industry and the community.
Hospital Liaison
Specific work is centred on the three acute hospitals in the county, along with the community hospitals:
- Royal United Hospital, Bath
- Salisbury District Hospital
- Great Western Hospital, Swindon
We are delivering training sessions on the Preceptorship programmes, working together with ward staff and outpatient departments ensuring staff have a good understanding of issues that impact on carers, and encouraging working with carers as expert partners in care, particularly with regards to discharge planning for the cared for person.
Working with GP Surgeries
Our GP Accreditation Scheme is delivered through liaising with the 61 surgeries in Wiltshire, to raise awareness of carers’ issues. This encourages the early identification and support of unpaid carers of all ages and promotion of the GP ‘Investors in Carers’ accreditation scheme.
The implementation of the award scheme has been particularly effective in encouraging practices to find practical and achievable ways of supporting carers, e.g. Carers’ Clinics.
The scheme has now entered its second year and we are continuing to liaise with practice staff at the practices to develop the most effective ways of helping them to continue their support for carers.
If you work for a GP surgery which has not yet been in contact with us, we would be keen to hear from you.
