Strategic Development
There has been much learned already about how to identify and support carers in primary care. It is important that we continue to learn from existing projects and to build upon the progress already made and, above all, to translate this learning into real and permanent change in services throughout the country, not just in isolated pockets of good practice.
Only in this way will the commendable aspiration of the latest White Paper to give a new deal to carers become a reality. The recommendations in our report Best Practice, Better Practices are a key step towards giving carers the support which is in the interests of the NHS to provide and which carers deserve and we commend them to decision-makers at every level. Let us make the ‘forgotten army’ of carers a ‘recognised, valued and supported army’ within health and social care.
Work at the practice level to support carers is unlikely to become embedded in all areas unless there is support and encouragement for this from both the local PCTs and the Government and SHAs. Without this, development is always going to be patchy and inconsistent, and largely driven by local enthusiasts and champions. Accordingly we have produced 10-point checklists for both PCTs and the Government and SHAs.
Carers and Health - policy background
A Checklist for Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities
A checklist for GPs and Primary Health Care Teams
