The Isle of Wight council and its valued partner, Carers IW, is set to celebrate National Carers Week with the launch of a new carers strategy.
The strategy has been developed to support the 19,000 unpaid carers (2021 Census) on the Island.
The crucial role of unpaid carers
An unpaid carer’s role is crucial — holding families together, keeping vulnerable people safe and enabling them to participate within the community, while at the same time making an enormous contribution to society.
Starting on 5th June 2023, National Carers Week will recognise the incredibly valuable work that cares do.
Recognising their work
On the Island we will be recognising their work and all they do to support vulnerable people who cannot manage without their help.
An unpaid carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support.
The level of support can be variable and range from a few hours a week to providing care 24 hours a day seven days a week.
New carers strategy
The new carers strategy is formally launched on Wednesday 7th June and has three priorities:
- To ensure that our Island’s unpaid carers are recognised.
- Our Island’s unpaid carers can communicate and have access to health and social care services when needed.
- Unpaid carers on the Island are supported, so that their health and wellbeing are improved.
The unpaid carers strategy launch will be at the Riverside Centre, Newport, at 2pm, in the Hunnyhill Room and all unpaid carers on the Island are welcome to attend.
Full details of events and support are available at www.carersiw.org.uk
Gaudion: New strategy aims to make a real difference
Laura Gaudion, director of adult social care and housing needs, said,
“Having a new unpaid carers strategy which is supported by the Isle of Wight Council, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Care Board and the Isle of Wight NHS Trust recognises the important and vital role of our Island’s unpaid carers.
“This new strategy aims to make a real difference to the lives of local people. We would like to especially thank Carers IW, Age UK, Healthwatch Isle of Wight and People Matter Isle of Wight for their help to develop the strategy, making sure that local people were able to have their say and really shape the strategies priorities.
“The new carers strategy is something which the island can be proud of, improving the lives of both the unpaid carers and the vulnerable people that they care for.”
Stephens: Action plan crucial to the success of strategy
Councillor Ian Stephens, Cabinet member for adult services and housing, said,
“Crucial to the success of this strategy will be an action plan which will be the mechanism which drives the ‘work’ delivering what we are looking to achieve. Following the launch, we will establish a working group to monitor and ensure the key priorities are delivered.
“One of the first steps in delivering the strategy is to ensure people register as an unpaid carer with their GP, who can then provide useful support, advice and information.
“Being a carer can often affect your own health, but your GP can support you if they know you care for someone.”
Support
Examples of support if you are registered at your GP surgery include:
- You could arrange ‘double’ appointments for both you and the person you care for at the same time to avoid having to visit the surgery twice.
- You could arrange for repeat prescriptions to be delivered to your local pharmacy to save you picking them up.
- Conversations about your mental health and the impact of your caring role.
- Provision of free annual health checks, flu vaccinations.
The registration form is available from your local GP surgery, Carers IW or download at www.carersiw.org.uk
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
