Council and Board aim to help Carmarthenshire carers
Carmarthenshire County Council and Hywel Dda Health Board are working together to help carers.
A new strategy is being planned to ensure carers are given the best support by both agencies working together.
It will ensure carers receive information around issues such as medication and crisis support as well as training and support.
Staff in both agencies will also receive training to make them aware of carers issues.
This strategy will be developed as part of the new Carers Measure which will delegate more responsibility on the NHS to provide information and advice to carers.
The NHS will also need to ensure that they consult with carers and the cared for in a timely manner and that carers’ knowledge of the cared for person is respected and used appropriately.
Public consultation on the measure is currently underway until the 23rd June 2011, details of which can be found on http://howis.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/862/page/45773.
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Carers’ Champion, Cllr Pat Jones, said: “People who care for others are often very vulnerable, and can feel lonely and helpless if they don’t have access to the support that they need.
“Without these carers – most of whom look after relatives – there would be a huge burden on the county and so it is only right that we support them and to look at ways we can better our services so that they benefit from them in the way that they should.”
Chris Martin, Chairman and Carers Champion at the Health Board said: “There is growing evidence that caring can have a detrimental impact on the physical, emotional and mental health of carers and that their health is increasingly at risk as their caring responsibilities increase. This new measure and its supporting strategy will ensure that the Health Board and County Council work together to best meet the needs of carers.”
For further information about the range of services and support offered to carers in Carmarthenshire, visit www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk
A new strategy is being planned to ensure carers are given the best support by both agencies working together.
It will ensure carers receive information around issues such as medication and crisis support as well as training and support.
Staff in both agencies will also receive training to make them aware of carers issues.
This strategy will be developed as part of the new Carers Measure which will delegate more responsibility on the NHS to provide information and advice to carers.
The NHS will also need to ensure that they consult with carers and the cared for in a timely manner and that carers’ knowledge of the cared for person is respected and used appropriately.
Public consultation on the measure is currently underway until the 23rd June 2011, details of which can be found on http://howis.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/862/page/45773.
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Carers’ Champion, Cllr Pat Jones, said: “People who care for others are often very vulnerable, and can feel lonely and helpless if they don’t have access to the support that they need.
“Without these carers – most of whom look after relatives – there would be a huge burden on the county and so it is only right that we support them and to look at ways we can better our services so that they benefit from them in the way that they should.”
Chris Martin, Chairman and Carers Champion at the Health Board said: “There is growing evidence that caring can have a detrimental impact on the physical, emotional and mental health of carers and that their health is increasingly at risk as their caring responsibilities increase. This new measure and its supporting strategy will ensure that the Health Board and County Council work together to best meet the needs of carers.”
For further information about the range of services and support offered to carers in Carmarthenshire, visit www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk
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