First Ever National Consultation Will Inform New Carers Strategy, UK

Main Category: Caregivers / Homecare
Article Date: 14 Jan 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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The most far-reaching consultation ever on how to improve the future of the nation's six million carers drew to a close with an event attended by over sixty cares, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Health Secretary Alan Johnson and Health Minister Ivan Lewis.

The consultation, to engage carers in debate about what would make a positive difference to or improve their lives as carers, was announced by the Prime Minister in June. Since then, the debate has seen more than 1,700 ideas contribute by carers though a dedicated website, and thousands more carers have contributed their ideas at the events run by both the Department of Health and carer organisations up and down the country. All of this valuable insight will inform the new Prime Minister's Carers Strategy to be published later this year.

Today's event, at which carers debated issues such as local services, income, employment, discrimination and recognition, was also attended by members of the new Standing Commission on Carers, which was announced by Gordon Brown in September. The commission will ensure that that the voice of carers remains central to the long term development of Government policy.

Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, said:

"Britain's carers are an immense force and I want to thank them for the tremendous work they do, especially given the huge challenges and pressures they face. We know that supporting carers is not just the right thing to do, but vital to ensuring the most vulnerable people in our communities have the care they need when they need it. I have spent today listening to our carers, volunteers, charities and community groups and have heard about the pressures that families and carers are under. What I have heard today, and what carers throughout the country have told us, will form the basis of our new carers strategy."

The new strategy will build upon a number of recent initatives to improve support for carers. A national helpline for carers will be available from this summer and £25m has been made available to local authorities in England to provide short-term cover for carers in emergencies.

Also today, the £5 million contract to support the development of an experts carers programme, has been awarded to a constorium made up of the Expert Patient Programme, Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Carers UK, Crossroads and Partners UK. The programme will provide vital training for carers to develop the skills they need to take greater control over their own health, and the health of those in their care.

Secretary of State Alan Johnson said:

"Carers are the hidden heroes of society. They selflessly contribute their time and money to caring for someone and ask little in return.

"Today's event has been about listening to the experts - carers themselves - about what we can do to improve their lives. Our job is to take what we have heard and learnt and ensure that our new strategy builds on this and the progress we have made."

Department of Health

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