To mark Carers Week (6-12 June 2022) the Partnership and Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (YAS) teamed up to raise vital awareness of the ‘Message in a Bottle’ initiative to unpaid carers.
‘Message in a Bottle’ is a simple and effective way for people to share their basic personal and medical details, including contingency planning for caring responsibilities, in an emergency. This written information is kept in a bottle in a common location in the home – the fridge.
The message to all unpaid carers across West Yorkshire was to think about a contingency plan so that the person they care for is supported at the earliest opportunity and the carer has peace of mind that arrangements are in place should they become unwell or be involved in an accident or medical emergency.
The Partnership provided 3,000 of these potentially lifesaving bottles to local carers organisations who will distribute them to local unpaid carers across West Yorkshire.
Debby Veigas, End of Life Care Admiral Nurse from Wakefield Hospice said:
“It is so important for carers to think about developing a plan that could be used should they become unwell and unable to continue the care and support they provide. Thinking about, agreeing, and talking about a contingency plan would be reassuring - so that the support the carer currently provides would continue in their absence and that decisions are not having to be made quickly in a crisis”.
Find out more by visiting our Message in a Bottle page.