We had a detailed discussion of carers’ issues as usual. The group session ended with a presentation:
Department for Health and Social Care – Carers Action Plan 2018 – 2020 Supporting carers today
In the Call for Evidence for this Plan, 89% of the 6,275 participants who responded to this question felt strongly that it was important adult carers received better services and support in future
The Plan sets out the cross-government programme of work to support carers over the next two years. The five priority themes are:
- Services and systems that work for carers.
- Employment and financial wellbeing.
- Supporting young carers.
- Recognising and supporting carers in the wider community and society.
- Building research and evidence to improve outcomes for carers.
Actions are detailed under each of the five priorities and it is intended that the action plan will improve the health and wellbeing of carers and support a better experience for them. The Government has said that it will seek to understand the extent to which the actions help to:
- Increase the number of employers who are aware of caring and the impact this has
- on their workforce.
- Support health and social care professionals to be better at identifying, valuing and
- working with carers.
- Improve access to appropriate support for carers, including respite care and carers’
- breaks.
- Improve the evidence base on carers to inform future policy and decisions.
- Ensure that the needs of carers are recognised in relevant government strategies.
The Plan is part of wider government action on social issues.
As part of the programme of work on implementation of the Dementia 2020 Challenge:
- NHS England is working to ensure that GPs are playing a leading role in ensuring coordination and continuity of care for people with dementia and their carers.
- Skills for Care (SfC) is working in partnership with Health Education England (HEE), Alzheimer’s Society (AS), and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) to ensure that people with dementia and their carers are supported by health and care staff that have undertaken appropriate levels of dementia awareness and training.
- The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is working with the Dementia Action Alliance to increase the numbers of hospitals who have signed up to the Dementia Friendly Hospitals Charter and to explore options for increasing the number of volunteers in hospitals to support people with dementia.
In addition:
The Department of Health and Social Care and Research in Practice for Adults (RiPfA) will support implementation of social work practice guidance with carers with Principal Social Workers and Carers leads.
The government says it recognises there is more to do and that is why the needs of carers will be central to the forthcoming Green Paper on care and support.
The Plan is available here
Reflections 