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.