Do you care for someone who could not manage without you?
If you look after your partner, family member or friend, who could not manage without you due to physical or mental illness, disability, frailty, life-limiting illness or substance misuse problems, then you are an unpaid carer and we want to help you.
Once we are aware of your caring role and responsibilities, our dedicated Carers’ Champion, Maureen Hyde, at the practice is here to help, and will let you know about the support that is available.
If we know that you are caring for someone then we can:
- Arrange flexible appointment times where possible
- Offer you a free annual flu vaccination and health check
- Offer you a referral to your local Carers Support Service, which provides free information, support and advice
- Offer you a referral for a Carers Assessment, which identifies what support you may need in your caring role and what is available to you
Let us know that you are a carer by filling in our Carer Identification Form. You can return your completed Carer Identification Form to Reception.
Caring will affect us all at some point in our lives. Carers provide unpaid care by looking after an ill, older or disabled family member, friend or partner. It could be a few hours a week or around the clock, in your own home or down the road.
The amount and type of care that carers provide varies considerably. A carer might provide a few hours of care a week - shopping, collecting medication and taking someone to medical appointments - or they may care around the clock.
For more information about the support that is available to unpaid carers and families, please click on the useful links below:
NHS Carers Direct
- Free Helpline: 0300 123 1053
- NHS Carers Direct provides confidential information and advice for carers. The helpline advisers can give you information to help you make decisions about your personal support needs, and the needs of the person you're looking after.
- Lines are open 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays), and 11am to 4pm at weekends. You can request a free call back, or an interpreted call back in one of more than 170 languages.
- Click on header for more information.
Carers UK
- Free Advice Line: 0808 808 7777
- Carers UK is a charitable organisation that provides information, advice and support for carers and families. Carers UK gives expert advice, information and support; they connect carers so no-one has to care alone; campaign together for lasting change; and innovate to find new ways to reach and support carers.
- Email: advice@carersuk.org
- Click on header for more information.
Carers Network Westminster provides the following free services for carers:
- Practical advice, information and signposting including a quarterly newsletter
- Support groups, including specialist support; Mental Health, Older People, Learning Disabilities, and End of Caring Role
- Access to support services in a range of languages.
- The Carers Break scheme – grants of up to £400 are available to give carers a break from their caring role
- The Carers Emergency Card Scheme
- Training and workshops for carers
- One-to-one emotional support
- Day trips
- Social Events
- Statutory Carers Assessments
- Help and advice with applying for benefits and grants
- Consultations with carers to improve existing services
- Campaigning for a better deal for carers.
- End of life project, which provides information and workshop on various subjects, such as choices around end of life care, funeral arrangements, and communicating about death and dying
- Carers Time Bank, which is a community of local carers sharing their skills, knowledge and time to support each other
Contact Information
Carers Network Westminster
Office 8, Beethoven Centre
Third Avenue
London
Phone: 020 8960 3033
Email: info@carers-network.co.uk
There is a wealth of information on the NHS Choices website about carers and caring. Below are some links into the site that we hope you will find useful.
Social Care & Support
Taking a break
Housing and carers