Assessments

Multi-disciplinary assessments – beneficial or threatening
Single assessment process – need to know more
Financial assessment – duplicated several times, threatening

Assessments
Carers

When or how, requested or offered – what result, what benefit
What about advocacy and support

Carers and
Agencies

Relationship and (lack of) individual carers influence
Exclusion from statutory planning processes and implementation – only selected individuals and organizations included

Carers Commissioning

Should involve carers, consult with carers before not after implementation
Consult local carers organisations before implementation

Carers National Strategy

How does it affect carers directly and indirectly
Need improved Carers profiles, better publicity of services available

Children

Support for parents of children with special needs and their siblings
Continuing support for life long dependents
Support for Siblings and other Young Carers needed

Chiropody

Need for home service for carers and dependents

Choice

Real, actual, self determined, offered, practical, without strings

Communication

Improved communication needed between carers, carers groups, professionals and the general public
Use all communication methods – email really good if isolated

Continuity of care

Lack of continuity between health and social services
Lack of continuity between residential and day care and community
Lack of continuity of care plan between different home carers
Institutional changes without consultation with clients

Cuts in services

Effect on carers

Dementia and other neurological conditions

More local information and support
Use a less obtrusive name for support services

Dentistry for carers

Availability, NHS/private, mobile – and for person cared for

Dignity

Respect for the individual and their innate abilities and skills

Direct payments

Extend to older people/carers both for themselves and as appointees

Emergency plan

Carers need a plan for the expected/unexpected – ID cards for carers – be aware of risks, Mobile phones, PCs, Digital TVs, Helplines

Empathy

Professionals and Organisations need to get alongside carers not make value judgements

Empowerment

Give carers rights, encourage independent action with support when appropriate and needed

Enabling

Ensure carers can make informed decisions and take actions and represent themselves

Empty buildings

Usage for local services at reasonable rates

Homes –
Residential & Nursing

Run on agency staff – no continuity, no core support
Closures - concerns about effect on availability of places and cost
Concerns about cost, and type of home and need to move
Concern - raised fees taking extra Government cash for residents

Hospitals

Run on agency staff – no continuity, no core support
Serious concern about hygiene standards in the General Hospital.
Observations include – no hand washing between rooms, or between patients, beds not cleaned properly, bedside cabinets and tables not cleaned, dirty floors and walls, stained curtains, no cleaning equipment on the wards, wards run out of bed linen, pillows availability a joke but not funny

Information

Need Information pack for Romsey and District
Availability, comprehensive, plain language
Lack of co-ordination between health, social services, education, DSS
Need one stop shop in the area

Listen and hear

Listen to what carers are saying; hear what they say

Out of hours

Concerns about accessing help and support out of hours – difficulty, availability, accessibility, emergency

Prescriptive services

Should be individual choice not expected to fit services available

Respite Care

Flexible, individual, responsive, reliable - Adult placement, Befriending, day care, cleaning service, shopping, transport.
Respite Care – various – day / hour, residential, Sitting.
A real break from every day tasks but not always alone/apart from cared for/loved one.
Take a Break Grant – What is it - Who can access and how is it offered, open or hidden?
Residential v Day - Residential placements versus community support – cost and benefits

Social Workers

Difficulty in contacting social workers by parents of children

Support

Need additional Support Groups/Extend Coffee Shop

Support in the home

Needs, services available, gaps - how to access alternative support

Transport and parking

Effect on carers

Young Carers needs

How identified, how contact, how support – need to be enabled to do things with their peers – not necessarily to be separated or in special group. Services and agencies should work together