Who is a carer?

A carer is a person of any age (including children) who provides unpaid support to a partner, relative, friend or neighbour who couldn’t get by without their help. This could be due to old age, frailty, disability, a serious health condition, mental ill health or substance misuse. Parents of children who are disabled or who have a serious health condition are also considered to be carers.

It is estimated that 10% of patients are carers.

Improving carer identification

As a practice, we want to increase the number of people on our carers’ register so that we can look after you better.

The next time you contact the practice, please let us know if you are a Carer along with details of the person you are caring for, and we will register this on our system. This will allow us to offer additional support when you ring.

Alternatively, please complete the online carer registration form at the end of this page.

Support for carers at the practice

As a carer, the practice could help:

• offer flexible appointment times and types to accommodate your caring situation.
• arrange regular health checks and depression screenings to support your health and wellbeing.
• arrange for repeat prescriptions to be delivered to your local pharmacy to save you picking them up.
• offer free flu jab if you are the main Carer for an elderly or disabled person, who may be put at risk if you became ill, or if you are receiving Carer's Allowance
• provide information on services provided by the NHS such as continence services and patient transport to hospital appointments.
• offer other sources of support and advice. This could include the social services department and local voluntary agencies.
• provide supporting letters and information to enable you and the person you care for to access benefits such as Attendance Allowance or a blue badge scheme.

We have also collected some resources below to help support carers. Please find our resources below. If there is anything else we can help with, please give us a call.

NHS support

There is also wealth of information and support on the NHS Website for carers, see below for links into the NHS site that we hope you will find useful.

A guide to care and support

Information for carers and people who have care & support needs.

Support and benefits for carers

Caring for someone can be a full-time job - find out about accessing breaks and respite care.

Being a Young carer

Advice for carers 18 or under and their entitlement to support

Care after hospital

Providing care for people who have been recently discharged from hospital.

Taking a break

Caring for someone can be a full-time job - find out about accessing breaks and respite care.

Work and Disability

Guidance, support and help with employment issues.

Finance and Law

Benefits for carers

Directing carers to the benefits that can help them in their caring role.

Benefits for the under-65s

Advice and information on helping the person you look after get the benefits that they are entitled to.

Benefits for the over-65s

Advice and information on financial support for older people with a disability or illness.

Carer's Assessment

See if you can get support from your council, such as extra money or a break from caring.

Other benefits

Advice for carers and the people they are looking after on claiming a whole host of other benefits unrelated to their disability or caring.

Useful contact(s)

Carers Direct

Telephone: 0300 123 1053

Email: CarersDirect@nhschoices.nhs.uk

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Carers Registration Form

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This information is not shared with any third party organisations.

This information is retained for up to 28 days.

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