Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Director of Commissioning which concerned the approach and initial findings relating to a Carers’ Strategy. The item was presented by Emma Dickinson, Commissioning Manager for Carers, Sheffield City Council.

In giving the presentation, Emma Dickinson informed the Board that there were 57,373 people, including children and adults, as reported in the census in Sheffield, providing unpaid care for a friend or member of their family. It was suggested by a Department of Health assessment that each pound spent on supporting carers would save councils £1.47 on replacement care costs and there would be a benefit to the health system of £7.88.

There were several emerging issues, which included:

·         a need for good information and advice at diagnosis and discharge

• requirement for an advocacy and ‘navigator’ role to support choices and options
• recognition of carers by GPs and more flexibility
• that carers should be helped to have a social life and a break
• that carers should be supported to stay in work.

Meetings had taken place with carers in various settings to identify priorities from the perspective of carers and inform the development of a short strategy document.

Members of the Board asked questions and commented on the subject of carers, as summarised below:

Carers were not a homogenous group and yet it might be difficult to provide bespoke support to each carer. There may also be other people who support the ‘main’ carer and the caring responsibilities would affect those people as well.  Some people had family and friends who could support them (whether directly or otherwise) with their caring responsibilities, whereas other people’s circumstances were such that they could not rely on such support. We might also recognise people who would not identify themselves as a Carer and some people did not have a Carer.

Carers, in undertaking unpaid work to support others, saved health and social care services a significant amount of money. 4,500 children in the City were carers and a question was asked as to the age profile of that group. The Council had signed up to the Young Carers Pledge and it was important to make sure that other organisations also had such a pledge. Because of their age, young carers were not in a position to talk to organisations, such as housing associations, about certain issues. However, the parent for whom they were caring might also not be able to do so either. Young carers might also administer medication. Thought had been given the idea of a young carers’ card, to identify them as a Carer, although the potential of a young person being stigmatised also needed to be considered.

Schools might be able to help in practical ways, such as with regard to permitting mobile telephone contact between a pupil and the person for whom they had caring responsibilities and there were other ways in which schools could also approach matters in a sensitive way. The Carers’ Centre did much to support carers, although its focus had been on adult carers. Activities relating to young carers were being undertaken by Chilypep and Healthwatch Sheffield. It was important that there was a strong voice for young people within the Carers Strategy. Health organisations might also consider signing up to the Young Carers Pledge. It was also essential that organisations, including those represented on this Board, acted to ensure that the burden of caring responsibility did not fall disproportionately on those young people.

A person’s caring responsibilities may incrementally increase and in some cases, people did not recognise themselves as being a ‘Carer’ and there had been some work with health professionals in secondary healthcare in this regard. Conversely, caring responsibilities may start suddenly in response to an event such as a stroke. Somebody looking after an individual with mental ill-health help may experience being stigmatised or find that less help was forthcoming.

An enabling environment was necessary, including in respect of attitudes and education and which could be supported by services such as GPs and business organisations, including the Chamber of Commerce. There were also links with areas including cohesion and community support networks.

GPs might be in a position to see the whole person and it may be necessary to compare GP services in Sheffield to gauge whether they compared favourably with other places. There might be an opportunity to support carers and facilitate greater independence in the design of services in the integrated commissioning programme and make sure carers’ voices were represented in the design process.

Some carers were themselves older people and might have associated health conditions and whilst their role as a carer was most important to them, they also required support as individuals.

It was important that the contents of the strategy should be recognised by carers. 

Sometimes people needed access to appropriate support, but without needless bureaucracy and also ensuring that the best information and advice was available. The role of a carer needed to be explicitly recognised and support made available, without interrupting their caring responsibilities.

There was a role for employers in helping to support people with caring responsibilities and the strategy should also recognise that some employers were better at doing so than others.

Members of the public present at the meeting also asked questions and commented on the subject of carers, as summarised below:

Whether the strategy would include reference to short term carers.

Transitions were important including working with providers of training and apprenticeships in supporting young carers into work. There were examples of good practice in supporting carers through primary care services, for example Handsworth Practice in support of young carers, which might help to illuminate the strategy.

Resolved: That the Director of Commissioning, Sheffield City Council, is requested to submit a report concerning the Carers Strategy to a future meeting of the Board and which should include the role of the Health and Wellbeing Board in supporting actions relating to Carers.