Carers Rights Day 2023
TUESDAY 21st November:
Carers have the right to information, advice and signposting – how Somerset Village Agents can help
Somerset Village Agents are a great source of information and advice for unpaid Carers, particularly around staying warm and help with keeping fuel costs down during the colder months.
- caring for another
- housing
- finances and benefits you may be entitled to
- where to find information about winter fuel payments and surviving winter grants
- your local warm welcome spaces where you can go to be warm and meet other people
- blankets from the Knit for your Neighbour scheme: Knit for your neighbour | CCS Community Council for Somerset (ccslovesomerset.org)
WEDNESDAY 22nd November:
Carers’ Rights in the Workplace
In this short film, CCS HR Manager Greg talks through how Carers are supported in the workplace, how you could share information with your employer to support your own working life and what makes for a Carer-friendly workplace – CLICK HERE TO WATCH NOW!
THURSDAY 23rd November:
The Future – Lasting Power of Attorney
Julie Antoniadis of LPA Somerset joined us to tell us about Lasting Power of Attorney, how it can help and how to get started – CLICK HERE TO WATCH NOW!
FRIDAY 24th November:
Carers’ Information on Health and Wellbeing
Did you know there are Carer’s Champions in each GP Practice in Somerset?
- Each practice has an appointed team member in role as either a Carer’s Champion and or Health Coach. They act as the key point of contact both for you as a Carer and for practice staff.
- Somerset Carers works closely with each Champion to provide training and updates which further helps the practice support Carers.
- CCS/Somerset Carers has Village Agents assigned to most GP practices across Somerset providing a collaborative, supportive all-round approach in helping Carers access the right support and services.
- It is key you notify your GP practice of your caring role so they can offer continued guidance, support and signposting.
- Some GP practices now offer Carers; priority flu vaccines, automated text updates, respite events and days out, contingency/emergency planning for you and your cared for, priority appointments or calls.
- Carer’s Champions fight for Carers voices to be heard through internal training and the Patient Participation Group (PPG). When changes and decisions are made, Carers are considered within this.
- Look out for Carer’s information boards and TV screen information within your own practice.
- Ensure you are registered and coded as an unpaid Carer at your practice and ask who your Carers Champion is and most importantly how you can contact them with queries.
Examples of ways some Carer’s Champions are providing support in Somerset:
“Our new patient questionnaire asks patients to identify themselves as Carers at the point of registration.”
“Our practice booklet in our new patient pack explains my role as Carer’s Champion and encourages patients to identify themselves to us”
“Our Patient Participation Group organised a Carers event in June of this year which was another good opportunity for us to encourage Carers to identify themselves to our practice”.
“ It is important for our practice to know who is a Carer and who they care for. The annual flu vaccination is available for Carers for example, and, in the event of a hospital admission it is helpful to know if they care for someone who will need support in their absence”.
Do get in touch with the Carer’s Champion at your GP practice to ensure you are identified as a Carer and to find out what support is available to you.
Support for friends, family and Carers of people experiencing difficulties with their mental health
Open Mental Health Carers Project Lead, Katherine West talks about the support available and how to access it – CLICK HERE TO WATCH NOW!
