Carers strategy review

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Carers strategy reviewNovember 2006

• The health of Carers

• Getting information and help

• Issues of particular concern

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Sources

The Selfish Pig’s Guide to Caring,Hugh Marriott 2003

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers • Carers health survey, 2004 • Carers speak out

Carers in Hertfordshire • Carers survey, 2005 • What difference does it make? 2005

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The health of Carers

WARNING: Caring can be bad for your health

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The health of Carers   • 51% of Carers suffered a physical injury such as a strained back since they began to care

National Carers Strategy 1999

  • 50% of Carers suffer mental health problems as a result of their caring

Carers health survey, PRTC 2003

GP - diagnosed conditions amongst Carers

  

  • 48% carers diagnosed with stress, attributed to caring

  • 43% diagnosed with depression: 38% attributed to caring

  • 37% diagnosed with anxiety: 35% attributed to caring

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Hertfordshire Carers Survey, 2005 (846 carers)

  • 56% of carers reported health problems 113 carers described their health as “poor”

  • lack of sleep”, “lifting”, “high blood pressure” were significant

  • across Hertfordshire PCTs, 22% to 41% of carers, reported states of anxiety, stress and depression

  • phrases to reflect ongoing and relentless demand were significant

  • evidence that carers neglected or under-rated their own health

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Carers concerns

  • what happened if I die / can’t cope because of own

illness

  • don’t know how to deal mentally with cared-for

condition

  • lack of support from “professionals”

  • money worries

  • restricted social life, lonely / isolated

  • cannot tell anyone how I really feel

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Carers strategy – suggestions

Outcome: Improved health

  • offer carers health check at GP surgeries

  • improve health information and advice

  • pay more attention to carers health in carers

assessment process

  • ensure all carers have back up and know what to do

in an emergency

 

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Getting information and help

“As soon as we come into contact with Officialdom,

we need to be aware that we’re in for a spot of

chaos. We’re almost certainly going to feel

confused, angry, frustrated and despairing”

The Selfish Pig’s Guide to Caring                                                    

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Getting information and help  • approximately 33% of Carers had received a Carers Assessment; 33% had not; 33% didn’t know

  • multiple Carers were less likely to have received an assessment than single Carers

  • 349 Carers asked for more information about assessments, including 99 people who said they had received one

  • its easier when you’re in the system – Carers referred to Carers in Hertfordshire by their GP surgery were more likely to have received an assessment than Carers identified at the surgery, but not referred on.

Hertfordshire Carers Survey, 2005 (846 carers)

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The benefits of being in the system • carers were twice as likely to report as well informed• almost three times as likely to know who to contact in a care crisis• more than three times more likely to know about their right to a

carers assessment• more likely to have received a carers assessment in the past two

years.• carers were more than five times more likely to have had a

benefits check• more likely to have had a significant break in caring in the last 12

months • more likely to be using alternative care services• carers were more confident about access to work, leisure and

education if any of these were important to them

What difference does it make? 2005

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  • less than half of respondents said they had been given insufficient help / support or information about lifting, moving

  • only 42% had been given sufficient help / support / information on giving injections or the use of catheters / dialysis

  • on help with key caring tasks, 30% reported that they had not been given what they perceived to be sufficient help or information

  • it is a matter of concern that almost a third (32%) of carers found the sources of help and advice available fairly or very difficult to use

Carers Speaking Out, PRTC

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  • friendly and welcoming attitude of staff

  • prime focus on the needs of the carer

  • well – informed staff

  • do what you say you will do – timely and reliable response

  • information provided to a high standard, telephone and written

  • helpful signposting

Service features that carers findparticularly helpful

Hertfordshire Carers Survey, 2005 (846 carers)

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Carers strategy – suggestions

Outcome: Exercise of choice and control

  • train all relevant agencies to signpost carers to routes

for assessment information and support

  • a good attitude from all assessors; to make sure they

offer privacy; don’t put carer on the defensive

  • tailor information and help to carer’s key caring tasks

 

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So what’s the problem?

  • access to primary health service

  • respite; emotional support and

homecare

  • medicine matters

Hertfordshire Carers Survey, 2005 (846 carers)

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Obstacles to getting a break   • Lack of knowledge / information

  • Only break carer would consider is if the carer and the cared for went together

  • Carer has failed to find a service, searching for one seems to be a full time job

  • Needs a qualified person to look after cared for, care from such a profession is very costly

  • Previous bad experience, cared-for is unwilling

  • Wouldn't trust anybody - complex issues

  • Not confident in how effective they would be - needs reassurance

  • Cost or charging

What difference does it make? 2005

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Carers strategy – suggestions

Outcome: Improved quality of life

  • Hertfordshire NHS to make sure carers are included in

their priorities

  • Enhance primary health services for carers within the

quality outcomes framework

  • Make quality improvements to the services that are of

concern to carers

  • Increase carers access to a break from caring

  • Support the medicine matters conference

 

Carers strategy review

Sue Reeve Carers in Hertfordshire

www.carersinherts.org.uk