Carers

North Tyneside Carers Centre

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have specific duties in relation to meeting carers needs.  This includes the provision of good quality information and advice. The Care Act also makes specific reference to the wellbeing of both the person needing care and their carer.

North Tyneside Council has developed a strong working relationship with North Tyneside Carers’ Centre and commissions a range of support services for carers through the Centre.

The provision of this service supports carers to access:

  • Specialist information, advice and signposting, provided by a team of trained professionals;
  • Emotional support by providing someone for carers to talk to when they most need it;
  • The provision of Peer Support Groups;
  • A wide range of additional interventions the Carers Centre delivers through charitable funding; and
  • Dedicated Carer Support Workers who have delegated authority from North Tyneside Council, to carry out statutory carer assessments and also provide 1:1 interventions where required, to relieve carer stress; support with complex cases; and as part of safeguarding

To find out about services, events and training on offer from the carers centre, please see the Carers Centre listings in Living Well North Tyneside 

Strategies

North Tyneside Strategic approach and commitment to supporting carers

Carers of all ages are identified within the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2013-23 as one of the key vulnerable or high priority groups who are more likely to experience poorer health and reduced wellbeing.

Objective 5 of the Health and Wellbeing Board work plan 2018/20 relates to;

“An integrated approach to identifying and meeting carers health and wellbeing needs (for all ages)”

In June 2018, the Health and Wellbeing Board endorsed the recommendation to establish a North Tyneside Carers Partnership Board with the brief to take the carers agenda forward and in doing so, adopt a system wide approach.

The Partnership Board have identified a set of overarching priorities for all ages and specific areas of focus for adult carers and young people respectively.

Priority 1. Strategic Planning and Opportunities for Investment

  • Ensure all partner organisations have executive sign up to the Partnership Board’s objectives.
  • Identify areas for investment and align with future commissioning intentions.
  • Explore opportunities to influence national, regional and local policy developments.
  • Market the national policy brand of ‘Think Carer’ across organisational communications strategies.

Priority 2. Optimise the use of qualitative and quantitative information to inform decision making

  • Complete a 'scoping exercise' and identify what information is currently being collated by organisations, to understand its use and to establish a baseline.

Priority 3 Ensure Carers experience influences whole system change

  • Establish a mechanism to ensure there is a two way information flow between carers and the Partnership Board.
  • Provider organisations to review their current in house policies to ensure organisation responsibilities and statutory duties are effectively deployed across all patient settings to reflect the role of the carer on the planning, delivery and discharge of care.
  • Develop quality standards for friendly GP practices.

Priority 4 Develop a Task and Finish Group to develop a clear information offer for carers

  • Map out current carers information provision.
  • Develop a ‘carers passport’ with vital information to be used as part of shared decision making between the carer, the person and the professional.
  • Ensure GP practices and community services make available to carers a range of information, contact information etc. on where and how to access support including how to get a carers assessment.

Priority 5 Workforce Development

  • Ensure front line workers have the skills and confidence to identify carers and are able to deliver a consistent message.
  • Support Primary Care in identifying carers and provide the necessary tools and training on how to support them.
  • Ensure all hospital staff receive mandatory training on ‘Think Carers’ and to apply techniques and approaches to support carers through the system.
  • Promote a culture that embraces the contribution carers make. That carers are valued and listened to and are encouraged to make choices about their caring role and access appropriate services and support.

Priority 6 Young Carer Pathways

  • Improve access to practical and emotional support for young carers.
  • Improve the identification, recognition and registration of young carers in primary care.
  • Promote awareness in all parts of the health and care system on the importance of identifying young carers.
  • Review current transition pathways for young carers into education, higher education, employment or training and identify areas for improvement.

Priority 7 Adult Carers

  • Expand the current offer in mental health support for carers

Further updates will be provided as this work develops.

Links to Health and wellbeing board papers can be found below:

19th December 2018

21st June 2018 

Related documents

Carers’ charter

The council is committed to working with and supporting carers.

The North Tyneside Carers’ Charter was developed by carers and sets out the key principles when working with carers. These include:

  • Recognising carers
  • Valuing carers
  • Providing information and advice to carers
  • Involving carers

Providers are expected to agree to the principles of the carers’ charter and promote the inclusion of carers in planning and decision-making and support individual carers to participate in the process as required.

Related documents