Many carers come into your surgery and work hard to help look after patients. But caring puts their own health at risk, which is why GP surgeries need to recognise that risk and refer them to us for the support they need. All that we needed is a completed Carer Identification and Referal Form.
Here are some ideas for health professionals and GP Carer Champions to help with identifying carers within your patient list.
Let us know if you have your own examples of best practice and we will share your ideas.
You could:
- Free Flu Vaccinations – Invite carers invite for their free vaccinations and take the opportunity to talk to carers to see if they require any additional support.
- Include a specific carers’ noticeboard within the surgery which is regularly updated with support services available both within the county and locally. Information to be included on your noticeboards can be found on our Materials to Download page.
- NHS health checks – carers must look after both their physical and mental health to allow them to successfully continue with their caring role. Take time to encourage carers to look after their own health needs.
- Flexible appointments – offer flexibility to carers when making appointments as they may have restrictions on when they can attend the surgery.
- Carer Champions are known and accessible to carers.
- Promote and provide carer events.
- Use our Waiting Room Screen to highlight caring.
- Print and distribute new Carers Welcome Pack.
Remind all your team to “remember carers”.
Your team have a lot of different things to think about, so small reminders can make a big difference. We have materials to help with this that are available from our office and can be sent to you in the post or downloaded on links below.
You could:
Think about arranging an event for carers to give them the opportunity to meet and share their experiences with others. Some surgeries try to include something during Carers Week or to coincide with their flu clinics.
We want to work with you to help you identify and support carers in your surgery. You can download any of the materials below free of charge and use them in your surgery. If you would like multiple copies to distribute to carers, or if there is any other information that would be useful to you, please let us know.
Materials for carers to read
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Make a Difference Noticeboard Poster
A poster for you to display in your waiting room, explaining our Make a Difference scheme, offering funded breaks for carers.
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Waiting Room Screen
A powerpoint slide with our key information, which you can display on a screen in your waiting room. If you would prefer this in another format, please let us know.
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Information for practice websites
Information about our services for you to upload to your practice website so that carers can find out about our support.
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Young Carers – Noticeboard poster and information postcards
A poster for you to display to encourage young carers to recognise their caring role and a postcard with information about the support we provide young people aged 18 and under who help care for a relative who is ill, disabled or elderly.
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Caring with Confidence poster
A poster for you to to display in your waiting room, inviting carers to attend one of our group sessions.
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Materials for staff
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Carers ID and Professional Referral Form
A referral form to Carers in Hertfordshire for GP surgeries.
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Carers and health: Health professionals make all the difference
A simple, concise outline for health professionals, explaining who carers are, why they need support, the support available and what you can do to help.
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Carers in Hertfordshire and GP surgeries: Working together to keep carers healthy
A leaflet for surgery staff explaining our work and how we can work with you to support carers in your surgery.
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Remember Carers Stickers
A template for stickers with our website address.
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Remember Carers Postcard
A postcard for surgery staff to keep handy, reminding them to support carers and with our key details.
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Carers Welcome Pack
A welcome pack for you to personalise for your surgery and give to carers when they register.
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Urgent Carers Breaks – Referral Form
We can arrange short-term, personalised breaks for carers of friends or family members – whether the break is in or out of the home. This may be support while carers attend medical appointments, as time away from their caring role, or emotional and physical support.Our aim is to fast-track referrals into the service in order that help is received when absolutely needed. We will cover unpaid carers in south and west Hertfordshire – Dacorum, Hertsmere, St Albans, Three Rivers and Watford. We welcome all referrals from GP surgeries, Primary Care Link Workers, Carer Champions, and voluntary sector organisations such as Age UK and MIND.For more information about Urgent Carers Breaks, please email carers.breaks@nhs.net or call 0208 905 1158 and ask for Louise Hosmer.
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