Just over one in ten patients who visits their GP is a carer. How many are on your practice list?

A carer is a person of any age, adult or child, who provides unpaid support to a partner, child, relative or friend who couldn’t manage to live independently or whose health or wellbeing would deteriorate without this help. This could be due to frailty, disability or serious health condition, mental ill health or substance misuse.

Being a carer comes at a physical and psychological cost

• Up to 40% of carers experience psychological distress or depression
• Carers have an increased rate of physical health problems e.g. providing high levels of care is associated with a 23% higher risk of stroke
• Older carers who report ‘strain’ have a 63% higher likelihood of death in a year period than non-carers or carers not reporting strain

Did you know?

• That 1.2 million carers spend over 50 hours caring for others, this equates to a full-time workforce larger than the entire NHS
• Carers are estimated to save the UK economy £87 billion a year in care costs, this is equivalent to £15,260 per year for every carer in the UK
• However, more than half of carers fall into debt as a result of caring

New programme of work

Supporting Carers in General Practice Stakeholder Conference

The conference will highlight the progress of the Department of Health’s funded Supporting Carers Programme; a collaboration between the Royal College of General Practitioners, Carers Trust (formerly Princess Royal Trust for Carers/Crossroads Care) and Carers UK. The tripartite programme aims to help increase the identification of, and support for carers throughout England.

Aimed at GPs, practice staff, expert practitioners, primary care commissioners, GP liaison practitioners and carers, the agenda, amongst other things, will discuss the role of GP Champions, Expert Practitioners and Carer Ambassadors.

The Conference will aim to address:

 - the progress and future of the supporting carers in general practice programme

 - how can supporting carers save the NHS money?

 - examples of best practice and case studies

 - what primary care initiatives could there be for supporting carers

 - and many more!

Confirmed speakers include

Paul Burstow MP, Minister of State for Care Services

Dame Philippa Russell DBE, Chair of the Standing Commission for Carers

Conference Date

Wednesday 23rd May 2012

Programme times

10am - 4pm (lunch will be provided)

Venue

Maple House, Birmingham

You must register to attend.  To book a place please send your details to supportingcarers@rcgp.org.uk

Please note: there is no charge for this event.

Support Carers in General Practice Workshops in your area

If over one in ten patients who visits their GP is a carer – shouldn’t GPs be able to identify carers amongst their patients?

Designed to help GPs and Primary Care Staff identify carers and raise awareness and knowledge of issues facing carers, the current role out has come to an end.  Please check back here for further details on future workshops.

To register your interest for the regional workshops, send your details to supportingcarers@rcgp.org.uk

Previous GP delegate: "An outstanding course which will change my practice… I have already made some local contacts and am inspired!"

GP Champions for Carers required

Recruitment ongoing.  Please e-mail supportingcarers@rcgp.org.uk

RCGP are looking to recruit GP Champions for Carers in the following regions of England - North West.

GP Champions for Carers will work in partnership with Carer Ambassadors from Carers UK and Expert Practitioners from The Princess Royal Trust for Carers to champion, advise and support carer initiatives, carers events and commissioning in their region. The role is now for at least two days per month (£393 per day)

Download the advertisment, role description and person specification for further information.

Special Interest GP Forum for Carers’ Issues

Would you like to get in touch with other professionals with an interest in carers?

Would you like to get support on difficult carer issues?

The RCGP GP Forum for Carers' Issues is a forum for health professionals who have a special interest in carers' issues or wish to find out more.

To apply to be a member of the forum please email supportingcarers@rcgp.org.uk with your email address, name and job title.  The moderator will endeavour to accept your membership within 48 hours. 

In-house training for GPs and their practice teams

Have you no time to attend an half-day workshop?

Would you like your whole practice to receive training about carers?

RCGP are developing free DVDs allowing training to be fitted around work and practice commitments. This training will also count towards CPD.

Register for a copy by emailing your name, job title and address to supportingcarers@rcgp.org.uk. 

Revised edition: Supporting Carers Action Guide

The revised edition of the “Supporting Carers” action guide for 2011, offering an overview of how practices can support carers within their practice, along with up-to-date policy and good practice was launched at the RCGP Annual Conference on 21 October, and is now available here to download:

The revised guide includes an updated and streamlined Self Assessment Checklist for practices to audit their own practice and a guide to develop a plan for their support for carers.

Please note - orders for 10 or more copies will incur a charge for postage and packaging. 

Supporting Carers e-learning programme

A free Supporting Carers in General Practice e-learning programme to help GPs and primary care teams better support carers. There are six interactive educational sessions designed for health and social care professionals, each taking around 20 minutes to complete.

The e-learning programme is also available by several different online platforms to non-medical staff working in secondary care, management staff, social care workers and other clinicians working in the community.

To access the e-learning programme click here.

The Supporting Carers in General Practice e-learning programme was developed in partnership with The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and e-Learning for Healthcare, with support from The Children's Society.

Five ways GPs can make a difference

A message from Clare Gerada, Chairperson of the Royal College of GPs, on five simple ways GPs can make a difference for carers.

Further resources to help support carers

InnovAiT special issue: Carers - the journal for GP Associates in Training published a special issue dedicated to carers in August 2011. Articles include information on how to identify carers, how to organise your practice to support carers, and carer facts and figures. These articles are useful to all GPs.

Carers Hub - a resource for all those looking to commission and develop personalised services for carers by showcasing a variety of original and innovative practice examples.

Care Planning Improving the Lives of People with Long Term Conditions - published by the Clinical Innovation & Research Centre (Royal College of General Practitioners), this document focuses on people who have long term physical health problems and describes how GPs and the other member of the primary health care team can support them to live their lives more comfortably with their condition.

GP Commissioning guidance - coming soon in Spring 2012

Any questions about the Supporting Carers in General Practice programme? Email supportingcarers@rcgp.org.uk