Carers Strategy
Carers Strategy 2010-1015 ‘Caring Together’
The long awaited new Carers Strategy has been published by the Scottish Government which will guide the priority areas for carers in Scotland for the next five years. The Strategy re-affirms that carers are equal partners in the planning and delivery of care and that without the valuable contribution of Scotland’s carers, the health and social care system would not be sustained. The key actions of the strategy are:
• the development of a Carers Rights Charter
• measures to help health and social care professionals identify carers and direct them towards obtaining carers assessments
• steps to improve the uptake and quality of carers assessments and carer support plans
• to improve the provision of information and advice to carers through workforce training and support from the one stop shop NHS Inform (see article below)
• to ensure better carer representation on community health partnerships in relation to delivering care services and for support for carers
• to produce information to carers on issues relating to stress and caring and to ensure carers aged between 40 and 64 have access to health checks
• to continue to work with GP and carer organisations in Scotland on identifying and supporting carers
• to invest £281,000 in carer and workforce training in 2010-2011, focused on carers in the greatest need (subject to the outcome of the next Spending Review)
• to invest a further £1m to provide more innovative short breaks to be delivered by the voluntary sector
• to encourage employers to promote carer friendly employment practices
• to work to ensure better co-ordination between health and social care services
Click here to download a full copy of the Scottish Government's Carers Strategy 2010-2015
The Renfrewshire Carers Strategy 2009-2011 has been produced by Renfrewshire Council, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the Carers Centre. The Strategy includes a vision statement, key objectives and 15 key recommendations to further develop services for carers over the next three years, on areas such as respite, Carers Assessments and carer training. A consultation excercise carried out with carers, the cared for and professionals took place earlier in the year and feedback was used to fine tune the Strategy - thanks to all those who took part.
Click here to download a full copy of the Renfrewshire Carers Strategy 2009-2012
The Final Renfrewshire Carers Strategy was launched on Monday 8th June as part of Carers Week.
The Strategy recognised the masive contribution carers make in helping the person they look after to remain inedendent and to stay in their home for as long as possible. A key part of the strategy is a self assessment form designed to help the Council identify 'hidden' carers and to work out what sort of help carers need.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE DRAFT CARER'S STRATEGY 2009-2012
The following recommendations have been identified for implementation during the life of this carer’s strategy 2009 to 2012 by Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire Community Health Partnership and the Renfrewshire Carers Centre. Progress will be monitored by Renfrewshire Council Social Work and the Community Health Partnership through the Carers Joint Planning, Performance and Implementation Group (CJPPIG).
Recommendation 1 - Respite
Respite services are reviewed considering projected capacity, resource implications, choice of models of respite care with reference to home based, overnight, and needs of minority ethnic groups, and respite resulting from befriending support services. Respite service outputs are to increase by 2310 nights or 17325 hours per annum by 2010/2011 compared to the level of respite service delivered in 2007/8.
Renfrewshire Respite Bureau is to be extended to enable all carers, after their needs have been assessed and agreed, to book respite direct with the Bureau.
Detailed easy to read information to be published in leaflet form, by client group, on the availability of respite services, and how these can be accessed. Specialist day centre services for older people with dementia are reviewed to plan for adequate respite capacity to support carers.
Recommendation 2 - Employment
Carer assessments and service responses are evaluated to ensure they address the wishes of carers to return to work, pursue education or training, or sustain existing employment. A consultation exercise is undertaken with carers to see how services can better support carers back to, or in, employment. Community Health Partnership and Local Authority employment policies are evaluated for being carer friendly.
Recommendation 3 - Health
Services to support carer health are reviewed and developed to address and reduce the prevalence of carer stress, depression and sleep disturbance. Carers are offered an annual health check due to the increased likelihood of poor health experienced because of, or due to, their caring role.
Recommendation 4 - Assessments
Target numbers for carer assessments completed are set by population and by team to sustain an annual increase in the number of carers assessments completed. Carers needs identified in the carer self assessment are reviewed annually and reported to the chairs of each JPPIG. Carers wishes, as to the future accommodation and care arrangements for loved ones, including partners and children,are to be recorded.
Recommendation 5 - Information
Develop a Renfrewshire Carers Information Strategy and increase the range of published information available to support carers on training opportunities, enabling legislation, health conditions, and services provided. Improved information is provided to carers on how telecare initiatives (such as detectors that alert to falls, flood, enuresis, epilepsy, movement) can support carers during the day or with disturbed sleep at night.
Recommendation 6 – Partnership working
Carers are included as members of each of the 6 Joint Planning Performance and Implementation Groups for Mental Health, Learning Disabilities, Older People, Palliative care, Carers and Addictions. All JPPIGs report annually on how they have addressed the needs of carers. Carers are involved fully as partners in service reviews, service developments, and policy developments.
Recommendation 7 – Review and evaluation Chairs of each of the Joint Planning, Performance and Implementation Groups complete a report in November each year detailing how carers needs have been addressed in the previous year’s work plan and plans for the year ahead.
Recommendation 8 – Equality
Sample areas of the Carers JPPIG work plan (respite services and provision of information in 2009) be equality tested annually.
Recommendation 9 - Training
Increased training opportunities for carers are developed and implemented from 2009/2010, and ongoing. Establish joint awareness training for health and social work staff on carers needs and issues.
Recommendation 10 – Charging policy
Home based respite charges are reviewed within the context of overall charging policies, and charging for other services with a respite component, with the aim of minimising the risk of carers declining respite services due to charge levels.
Recommendation 11 – Housing
Housing allocation policies and priorities are tested for equality and fairness in meeting the needs arising from the particular circumstances of carers.
Recommendation 12 – Financial inclusion
Carers are specifically targeted with a take up campaign to increase opportunities to receive a benefits check.
Recommendation 13 - Advocacy
The Renfrewshire Carers Centre evaluates the adequacy of advocacy services to support carers.
Recommendation 14 – Direct Payments
Direct payments that indirectly support carers, promote flexibility and empower carers, increase over the life of this strategy in number and average value.
Recommendation 15 – Emergency care
The ‘message in a (fridge) bottle’ scheme, that enables carers to identify the key needs of the cared for person, for use in any urgent or emergency situation, is implemented across Renfrewshire.
