Please take part in the annual Carers Week survey. Thanks to Carer support this has become the largest survey of carers in the UK, and a crucial part of Carers Week, which takes place this year from 14-20 June.
The theme for 2010 is - A life of my own - and the survey, which should only take a few minutes to complete, asks about what you (and other carers) miss out on, that most people in society take for granted, and what needs to be changed.
I do hope you have time to participate - every year carers tell us about their direct experience of caring and share personal stories of the stresses and strains; the ups and the downs of being a carer. This is a crucial part of Carers UK's campaigning and activities during Carers Week, including work with professionals and politicians, and indeed all decision-makers.
The survey can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/carersweek2010 - a secure address set up especially for this purpose. Please do pass this on to other carers you know, also anyone who does not have access to the internet can call us on 0845 241 2582 for a form.
Paul Matz
Carers Week Manager
p.s. - for more information about Carers Week please visit http://www.carersweek.org
www.surveymonke...
The Care Quality Commission is the new health and social care regulator for England. We look at the joined up picture of health and social care. Our aim is to ensure better care for everyone in hospital, in a care home and at home.
"The Care Quality Commission will use many methods and tools to achieve its aim of 'making care better for people', including carrying out a programme of assessments of quality. Our assessments of quality include our powers under the Health and Social Care Act to carry out periodic reviews, special reviews and studies and to publish information and reports about our findings.
"This consultation details how we propose to assess the quality of: Councils as commissioners, PCTs as commissioners, NHS Trusts and PCTs as providers and Adult social care organisations as providers."
The consultation runs until 27 April 2010 and CQC will publish final plans later in 2010. You can register views on an online form available on the CQC website or by Email or post.
www.cqc.org.uk/...
E-mail
The Carers Association Southern Staffordshire (CASS)
is having a carers information day on
Thursday 11th March from 10.00am to 3.00pm at Burntwood Scout Hut, Ironstone Road, Chase Terrace
South Staffordshire Council have been looking to further develop the Leisure Linx Scheme
which is a scheme which offers discounts on leisure activities for customers in receipt of
specific benefits.
The Leisure Linx Card can either be used on a Pay As You Go basis entitling customers to
discounts of up to 50% or alternatively there is now a Leisure Linx Membership whereby for
only £10 per month customers are entitled to free and unlimited use of most leisure centre
facilities from Monday - Sunday 09.00 - 17.00.
Carers in receipt of Carers Allowance or those registered with CASS are now able to qualify
for the scheme.
Also, did you know that if you are not a member of one of the Leisure Centres but are
attending a swimming session or fitness suite session with someone that you care for - and
you are attending in order to help them - you as the carer are entitled to free entry in to the
fitness suite and swimming pool reglardless of whether the session is a session specifically
for people with disabilities or just a public session!
For more information contact: Sam Osbourne, Programming and Promotions Officer, on
01902 696525 or email: s.osbourne@sstaffs.gov.uk
Leisure Centres involved in the scheme include: Cheslyn Hay, Codsall, Penkridge and
Wombourne.
E-mail
Carers in Southern Staffordshire are being offered the chance to attend free support and skills sessions designed to make a positive difference to their lives and those of the people for whom they care.
The Carers Association Southern Staffordshire (CASS) has teamed up with Omega, the National Association for End of Life Care, based in Shrewsbury, to run the Caring with Confidence programme for all carers. Omega is already delivering the programme successfully to carers in Dudley, Stourbridge and Solihull and is looking to start the session in Southern Staffordshire in the Spring.
There are two strands to the programme, which is part of the Department of Health’s National Carers’ Strategy. One, for all adult carers, consists of seven sessions and offers support on a range of topics including financial advice, practical caring tips as well as general support. The second, eight session programme is for carers of people nearing the end of life.
Caring with Confidence helps carers build on their strengths, gives useful information about looking after someone and helps carers decide what positive changes they could make in their caring role. Carers can choose how they access the programme, either by attending local face-to-face sessions, completing self-study workbooks, going online or a combination of all three. But it is undoubtedly the first of these through which carers gain the most benefit.
Hazel Marshall, from Stourbridge, looks after her husband Brian who has had MS for more than 20 years. Hazel has attended sessions and found them very useful.
She said: “We got nothing from the health authorities. You have to go out and find what’s available yourself and I would recommend people join as many of these kinds of groups as they can. You never know what you’re missing out on both socially and with help and advice.
“Your world is so limited as a carer, you don’t have the freedom just to get up and do things, so for it to be organised for you and you just go along is great. At the Omega group you meet like-minded people in the same situation which helps you realise you are not alone.”
Cynthia Boden, Carers Learning & Leisure Project Co-ordinator said: “We are delighted to be able to offer this excellent programme to carers in Southern Staffordshire. We really recommend carers take up this wonderful opportunity to meet others in a similar position and build on their existing knowledge and skills.”
The sessions are free, refreshments are provided and Omega can help carers with transport and respite care. For more information and to register call the Omega Carers Helpdesk on 0845 259 3163 or email carers@omega.uk.net.
Based on the NHS Constitution the new Act incorporates:
access to NHS services;
drugs and treatments approved by NICE;
choice about where patients receive their care; and
be treated with dignity and respect.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham said: "One year ago, the NHS Constitution came into being. This landmark document gives patients and staff real power to know what they can expect and what they can demand - demands that cannot go unchecked by the NHS from today."
CASS has secured funding for home based flexible night time support services for family Carers. Carers who regularly care for at least 20 hours per week can apply for up to £150 per session, for a maximum of 2 sessions, to pay for respite care in their own home. The sessions must consist of evening or overnight support to enable the Carer to have a break e.g., to go away from home for the weekend or to have a full nights uninterrupted sleep. The care can be provided by a professional care agency, a relative or a friend.
Please note that the funding can only be used for evening or through the night for the person who needs care. It cannot be used to pay the expenses of the family carer. This is also a time limited project and you are advised to apply as soon as possible – all successful applicants must use their allocation within two months of receipt.
For more information go to the CASS pages - Carers Breaks Fund
www.carersinformation.org.uk/cass/carers_breaks.htm
The Pension Service is advising people to be aware of bogus telephone calls from people claiming you are entitled to an additional Winter Fuel Payment. The Pension Service has received reports from individuals who have received such a call. The bogus caller claims to be from the Department of Work and Pensions and asks for bank details in order to pay the additional payment.
This is not activity from Winter Fuels and therefore we are treating these as bogus calls.
The Pension Service advises customers not to give bank details under any circumstances to anyone calling in relation to Winter Fuel Payments or saying they are from DWP. If anyone has given out information they are advised to contact their bank immediately for further advice.
CONTINGENCY TEMPLATE for CARERS
This document provides information in respect of the alternative arrangements Carers have in place should they experience illness, notably swine flu or other incidents which will impact on the care they provide. This document is for Carers to keep and share with the persons you consider best able to provide care and assistance in an emergency.
See section: Staffs Social Care & Health - Information leaflets - Contingency Template for Carers
www.carersinfor...
The Carers Association Southern Staffordshire (CASS) will be running an information stand in the foyer area of Tesco Extra in
Stafford and Tesco Extra in Lichfield to promote Carers Rights.
Thursday 3rd December
Stafford Tesco Extra, Newport Road, Stafford, ST16 2HE.
(3 hours Free Parking on the Tesco Extra Car Park)
Friday 4th December
Lichfield Tesco Extra, Church Street, Lichfield, WS13 6DZ.
(3 hours Free Parking on the Tesco Extra Car Park)
Both events will be information stands within the foyer area of
the Tesco stores and will be run from 10.00am - 7.00pm by our
Outreach Workers who will be available to offer information and
advice regarding Carers Rights and the issues that carers face.
