Primary Care resource packs
West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership (WY HCP) have launched place-based Primary Care Resource Packs featuring a “one stop shop” of information for all who work in primary care to support unpaid carers is to be rolled out across West Yorkshire from this Autumn. Primary care services provide the first point of contact in the healthcare system including GP practices, community pharmacy, dental and eye health services
Designed as a useful and easy digest of specialist information, the pack has helpful information and advice on identifying carers with useful signposting information to support services. The aim is to have a pack available for every GP surgery in West Yorkshire by the end of 2022.
Although caring can be rewarding, there is substantial evidence that carers have poorer physical and mental health than those who are not caring, and that the more care you provide the more likely you are to have poorer health.
For many carers, the biggest priority is the health and wellbeing of those they care for and as such they are more likely to neglect their own health and are known to put off treatment for themselves – with this in mind we are working closely with primary care professionals, including GPs and practice nurses to give carers the support they need.
NHS England and Improvement have created guidance with practical ideas that have been developed in partnership with carers, primary care teams and other key stakeholders. Collectively, these provide a framework for improving how general practice can better identify and support carers of all ages. The packs will be made available on the FutureNHS collaboration platform available to anyone who works in health and social care and updated regularly.