Workshop: Working together to develop carer friendly communities
Wednesday 11 October 12.10 – 1.10 Solent Hall
How can we improve the support we provide to today’s carers?
The Department of Health Carers policy team is collaborating with sector partners to deliver a thought provoking session on how local communities can work together to support unpaid carers.
Caring for a relative, friend or neighbour, or just wanting to lend a hand when someone needs extra support, is something that so many of us do without thinking about ourselves.
Around one in six adults in the UK are currently providing significant unpaid care for a friend, relative or neighbour. While the true value of care without reward can never be measured, unpaid care is without doubt a vital component, not just of a sustainable health and care system, but of society itself.
In this session we will explore how local areas can improve support for unpaid carers, reflecting on the experiences of carers themselves.
You will hear examples of coordinated local and integrated action through the use of NHS England’s carer’s toolkit and Memorandum of Understanding.
These are tools local partners can use to work together to support carers of all ages and their families. The session will highlight the important role local authority leadership can play in:
- Raising the awareness of caring
- Making sure services support those in the most intense caring roles and at moments of crisis
- Developing carer friendly communities.
There will also be an opportunity to discuss and explore practical solutions to deliver support for carers and families, improving outcomes for all, and - in doing so - making caring everybody’s business.
Helena Bowden and Sarah Gravenstede from the DH carers policy team will be attending on the day and look forward to meeting you!