Within the My Life, My Choice project £200k was spent on providing ongoing support for Carers. This was focused on two key areas.
Support for Carers from GP Practices - The project was evaluated by Helen Donnellan from RE:search South-West at the University of Plymouth. Read the full evaluation report here.
Developing a Carers Alert Card and contingency planning service
Support for Carers from GP Practices
Five GP based projects were set up to provide support for Carers. The practices taking part included Torrington Health Centre in Torrington, Rolle Medical Partnership & Imperial Medical Practice in Exmouth, Buckfastleigh Medical Centre and Coleridge Medical Centre in Ottery St Mary.
Carers Support Workers (CSWs)
All of the practices have a Carers Support Worker working alongside practice staff to raise the profile of Carers within the surgery. They are working to ensure that Carers receive the best recognition, support and services available from the practice.
Our aim is to significantly increase the number of Carers identified by the practice and ensure that staff who work at the practice have a better understanding of Carers and their needs.
Read some real life stories about people who have been helped
Contact details for the Carers Support Workers. We are producing posters and leaflets for each practice.
Torrington Health Centre, Poster and Leaflet
Sharon Star
01805 622247
sharon.star@nhs.net
Rolle Medical Partnership, Exmouth, Poster and Leaflet
Jane Cross
01395 226545
jane.cross@nhs.net
Buckfastleigh Medical Centre, Poster and Leaflet
Nicola Chaffe
01364 642 534
nicola.chaffe.nhs.net
Coleridge Medical Centre, Ottery St Mary, Poster and Leaflet
Vikki Bowes
01404 814447
vikkibowes@nhs.net
Imperial Medical Practice, Exmouth, Poster and Leaflet
Christine Hodges
01395 280365
chrishodges@nhs.net
In addition to advice and support practices may be offering:
Health Checks
This could include blood pressure checks; flu jabs; moving and handling assessment; health prevention/general advice on the implications of caring; information on specific conditions or onward referral to other agencies.
Counselling Service
Carers are being offered an assessment to see if they would benefit from counselling which recognises the emotional demands of caring.
Occupational Health
This includes services to help Carers if they have been ill and want to return to ‘work’. If it is felt that a Carer needs more help than can be offered from the CSW they will be offered the opportunity to attend a surgery run by an Occupational Health Nurse and a Care Manager.
The aim of the Carers Health Checks, Carers Counselling Service and Occupational Health is that as a direct result of these projects there will be an improvement in the overall health and well being of a significant number of the Carers.
Read some of the stories of Carers who have been helped by the CSW service
Developing an alert card and contingency planning service
In times of sudden change or crisis Carers need to ensure that those they care for are safe and looked after. A contingency planning service and alert card scheme was set up to do just that.
The Devon Carers Link Alert Card is designed to make sure there is help on hand if carers are suddenly unable to care.
Many carers become isolated through the demands of their caring responsibilities and their own
suffers as a result.
Carers
