Carers Support Statement

Do you look after someone who is ill, frail, disabled or mentally ill?

We are interested in identifying carers, especially those people who may be caring without help or support. If you are looking after or helping with day-to-day tasks for a family member, friend or neighbour please complete our online Register a Carer form or ask at Reception for a Carers Identification and Referral Form which you can complete and return to let us know about your caring responsibilities.

Caring for someone is an important and valuable role in the community, which can be very demanding and isolating for the carer.  Carers should receive appropriate support by way of access to accurate information on a range of topics such as entitlement to benefits and respite care and not least, a listening ear when things get too much.

If you identify yourself as a carer, our staff will try to offer you:

• Home visits and/or telephone appointments if caring responsibilities mean you cannot leave the person you care for at home or bring them with you to the Practice.
• Flexibility or priority on appointment times where possible.
• Support for the person you care for in the waiting room or a private area if you need to bring them to the surgery but would like an appointment in private.
• Information about local carers support services which may be able to arrange transport and/or sitting services to help you leave home to attend surgery.
• Telephone ordering for prescriptions where possible.
• An annual health check and a ‘flu vaccine.
• Information about your right to a Carers’ Assessment of your own needs as a carer.
• Advice on aspects of providing care such as medication.
• Discussing with you what you would like us to do in the event of you or the person you care for having a medical or other emergency.

In some cases caring roles are full time and very demanding. We would like to support you in your caring role where we can by:

• Respecting your privacy and confidentiality and conducting conversations of a personal nature in private.
• Discussing the benefits of appropriate information sharing with patients who need or may in future need care from a relative or friend.
• Providing you with information about the condition and needs of the person you care for, such as the effects of medication, where that person gives consent.
• Always listening to and respecting the information you give us about your caring role and the needs of the person you care for.
• Providing you with general information about health conditions when you ask for it when we do not have consent from the person you care for to share their personal information.

Our Carers Lead is Care Coordinator – Sinead Love.

Please contact Sinead if you have any queries about our support for carers, they will be happy to help and treat the conversation in strictest confidence.

Published: Feb 14, 2024