New support for GP surgeries to help carers
GP surgery staff across Derbyshire County Council area are receiving new training to help them support patients who have identified themselves as unpaid carers in their communities.
The training programme is being led by Lisa Barker, who recently took on a newly-created role as GP Liaison Worker with the Derbyshire All Age Carers Support Service.
Lisa organises regular training for GPs and their support teams. Sessions are delivered online or in-person as part of GP teams’ regular training programme.
Lisa said: “The training provides basic principles in how to support carers, the challenges they face and how they can be supported.
“The outcomes are that GP teams are more confident and empowered in the work they do to support carers.”
Lisa’s role was created following carer consultation conducted by the Derbyshire All Age Carers Support Service, which showed that the most important issue for Carers is the relationship with their GP.
GP systems allow a code to be placed against the name of people who are carers, or who are cared for, so that GP staff know to provide additional support.
Lisa said: “When GP staff know someone is a carer they can better signpost them to a range of emotional, mental health and financial wellbeing support.
“Our aim is to identify people as early as possible when they become a carer, to ensure support is available quickly and efficiently.
“If support isn’t available at an early stage, the health of the carer can be affected and could impact on the person they care for too. We want to help GP practices avoid carers getting to crisis point.”
Support available includes providing advice, information and guidance, carer’s assessments, accessing breaks, groups and activities, planning for the future, emergency planning, highlighting financial support.
To help identify and support young carers, it is important to liaise with schools, colleges and universities to ensure the carer’s responsibilities are understood by teachers, tutors and lecturers.
Lisa said: “It is good practice for GP surgeries to identify someone in their team who can champion the work to support carers. They can also share information on their websites that could include, helpful resources or other support service information useful to carers.
Lisa added: “Typically 10 per cent of the patients registered at a GP practice will be a carer, so we can have a huge impact via this support method!”
If you’re a GP practice and you would like to find out about how you can support unpaid carers in your community, visit Derbyshire Carers website.