Midlothian Unpaid Carers Strategy Consultation

'Carers are equal partners in care with rights, including: to be recognised and identified as an unpaid carer; having access to information and advice; and, to access services and opportunities to support carers to manage and continue in their role.'

   What we will do:

   1. Carers are treated as equal partners in care

   Outcomes:

• Carers report feeling more involved in the design and delivery of services (for carer and cared-for person).
• Carers report feeling more confident in their caring role.
• Carers report feeling more informed.

   Actions:

• Ensure Adult Carer Support Plans are offered and developed with carers by staff from Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership and VOCAL.
• Ensure Young Carer Statements are offered and developed with young carers by staff from Midlothian Young Carers’ Service, School staff or a trusted professional.
• Ensure that the care that the carer is willing and able to provide is documented in the Adult Carer Support Plan.
• Ensure carers are involved and consulted at key transition points (e.g. hospital discharge, children to adult services).
• Ensure carers are represented on the Integration Joint Board.

   2. Carers are identified early in their caring role
   

   Outcomes:

• Carers report feeling more informed
• Carers report improved health and wellbeing
• Carers report feeling more confident in their caring role

   Actions:

• Deliver Think Carer training across public, private and third sector.
• Deliver young carer awareness sessions to all S1 pupils.
• Strengthen community capacity and employer capacity to identify and support carers.
• Strengthen system integration and communications across statutory and voluntary sectors to improve carer identification, carer experiences and address carer health inequality.
• Consider groups of carers that services have found harder to attract into services and supports, e.g. mental health, substance use, marginalised groups. Target work to understand the needs of these groups and make supports more attractive and valuable to them.
• Identify key check points and transitions points in the carer and cared for journey (e.g. diagnosis, service or location changes, changes to care packages, transitions) and ensure Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement is offered/reviewed, or carer conversation happen.