Posted on: 25 November 2022
West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (WY HCP) is supporting this year’s Carers Rights Day on 24 November. There are an estimated 400,000 unpaid carers living in West Yorkshire, including children and young people caring for parents with long-term health conditions. Unpaid carers across West Yorkshire selflessly provide hours of unpaid care to their loved ones and this year it is critical to identify, support and signpost unpaid carers especially when many people are feeling the cost of living price rises. Anyone can become a carer, Carers UK estimate three out of five people will become carers at some point in their lifetime in the UK.
Being an unpaid carer can have an impact on a person’s wellbeing and even their ability to access health services. It can have a financial cost or an impact on careers and earning potential. It also impacts on relationships, including the time commitment of caring or changes to the relationship for those they care for.
This Carers Right Day we are supporting carers and we want more people to be aware of:
- Who carers are and what their needs are especially with the cost of living
- What rights carers have
- Where carers can go for help and support in West Yorkshire and beyond
Richard Parry Senior Responsible Officer for the Unpaid Carers programme at WY HCP and the Strategic Director for Health and Care at Kirklees Council said,: “We have clearly heard from Carers about how the cost of living crisis has amplified the financial pressures that they already faced as a result of being a carer….a “double whammy”. We also know that many carers don’t identify as a carer and so miss out on the support to which they are entitled. Now, more than ever, it is critical that we work with carers to support them in the same way that they support the NHS and social care through their role as carers.”
The rights that unpaid carers have
Many people are not aware that carers can discuss flexible working options with their employers. There are statutory rights which are protected by law and many employers have contracts of employment with more generous terms rights. At West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, we estimate 1 out of 3 of our workforce are balancing working and caring responsibilities
Carers are protected from discrimination. If they look after an older or disabled person they are protected by law under the Equality Act 2010 against direct discrimination or harassment because of their caring responsibilities.
Carers are eligible for free flu jabs and covid vaccinations and boosters. For carers looking after someone who is vulnerable, elderly or disabled they can speak to your GP surgery or local pharmacist.
Carers can ask for a Carer’s Assessment from their local council and they have the right to identified as a carer. If you provide unpaid care, you can ask your GP practice to identify you as a carer on your patient record. West Yorkshire and Health Care Partnership have co-created primary care packs with our local places to support GP practices identify and record carers. Our ambition is to have a pack in every GP surgery in West Yorkshire by the end of the year.
Carers are also entitled to be consulted on hospital discharge if the person they care for is being discharged from hospital.
Fatima Khan-Shah Associate Director for the Long Term Conditions and Personalisation team which includes the unpaid carers programme at WY HCP said, “Unpaid carers often underestimate their commitment to caring. That is why it is so important that we raise awareness of carers and how carers can access support. We want the whole of our community, including health and care professionals, to be able to identify unpaid carers and know where to signpost them to support. As a team, West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership works very closely with our partners to support unpaid carers and we are proud of how we are strengthening connections to make sure that when carers access support, through whatever route, they know they can supported and listened to.”
Support for unpaid carers
West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership is asking everyone to support raising the profile of unpaid carers by checking in on those who care for others to see if they can help. A comprehensive overview of information available to unpaid carers, including links to local support services, information for young carers and about identifying young carers, working carers passports and primary care resorce packs can be found at www.wypartnership.co.uk/unpaidcarers.