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Carer information for staff

This page is for all health and care staff across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

No matter what your role, we all have a responsibility. We should all be able to identify, support (signpost or refer) and involve carers.

Why is it important?

Carer stress or wellbeing is a key factor in hospital admissions, readmission and delays in the transfer of care. (Bebbington, A et al, 2001).

20% of those needing care were admitted to hospital because of the breakdown of a single carer on whom the person was mainly dependent. (Castleton et al, 1998).

What is an unpaid carer?

Anyone offering support to someone, who without that support would not be able to manage, is a carer. This care is unpaid. This includes family members, relatives, partners, friends, and/or neighbours.

They could be helping people who are ill, frail, disabled, have a mental illness or substance misuse problems. It could be emotional support, medical, personal, or physical care or jobs around the home.

Carers can be any age, including young carers, parent carers, working carers, sandwich carers, and adult carers.

Identifying Carers

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You should ask if your patient has an unpaid carer. Record this in the patient notes. Patients can also be carers.

All identified carers should be offered the carer information leaflet. This is a helpful guide which includes help and advice. It is for relatives and friends who support people within our services. It also includes a step-by-step guide for people who are new to a caring role, or for those whose role may have changed. 

Information for carers

Supporting Carers

Carers need support. This is to make sure their physical and mental health and wellbeing do not suffer because of their caring role.

Do not underestimate the emotional burden of caregiving. Even more so under complex circumstances like DNR, covert medication and long-term conditions.

We are all responsible for providing information to carers on where they can get help and support for themselves. This includes information about the statutory and voluntary sector organisations and wider, universal support.

Carers can find more information of the Carers website page.

Involving Carers

Involving carers includes;

  • Clear, early communication.
  • Realistic review of ability and willingness to care.
  • Carers as expert care partners. Let them share their history and raise concerns.
  • You should ask the carer if they wish to be involved in supporting the patient. For example, assisted mealtimes.
  • Carers should be invited to attend and be involved. This could include medical reviews, appointments the patient’s care plan. This includes treatments and medications, and their management. It should all be explained to carer.
  • They should be involved in discharge planning and dates.
  • Training gaps for unpaid carers. For example manual handling, medication management, knowledge of a particular illness.

Prepared Carer Checklist

Identified carers should be offered the Prepared Carer Checklist. It includes a series of questions or prompts to help them to know what to expect. They can also help prepare them for the person you support. It is a personal working document that can be printed out and completed at home by the carer. It can be discussed with any team or service. 

Supporting someone coming home from hospital:  Prepared Carer Checklist v1dh1123.pdf [pdf] 501KB  

Supporting someone receiving care:   Prepared Carer Checklist v1cc1123.pdf [pdf] 502KB 

Are you a working carer in the Trust?  

This information is for all staff in Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust. 

All staff are entitled to access support, advice and to request flexibility. This includes the Carers Network and Carers Peer Support Group. 

You can also create a plan in relation to your caring role using the My People Passport. This is to help you balance caring responsibilities with work.  

For more information visit the staff intranet. Support for Carers | Intranet

Confidentiality

  • Carers often want to give information, not get confidential details.
  • Offer a confidential place in which to talk to carers.
  • The confidentiality of both the patient and the carer must always be respected. You should check consent regularly with patients.
  • Consent of the patient must be sought before sharing information about treatment, care, and discharge planning.
  • If they do not consent, it must be respected. You should check if it applies to all the information, or only some things. If not, you can still give general information and support to the carer. “I can’t share everything, but I’m happy to hear what you can tell me.”

Our commitment to carers

The NHS Long Term Plan says that carers need more awareness and support. We all need to do more to identify and support unpaid carers.

The Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICS is also signed up to the ‘Commitment to Carers’. This includes,

  • Identifying carers
  • Welcoming carers and giving them information and advice.
  • Telling the carer about carer assessments and support.
  • Actively involving carers in decisions.
  • Co-producing our services.