Carers Direct

Carers Information

  • Do you think you might be a carer?
  • Are you a carer and have not told us?

Please read the information below for assistance

A ‘carer’ is someone who – without being paid – regularly looks after, helps or supports someone over the age of 18 who wouldn’t be able to manage everyday life without their help.

Carers under the age of 18 are sometimes called ‘Young Carers‘.

Who you may be looking after

You may be caring for a partner, relative, friend or neighbour. For example, it may be someone who:

  • has a physical or learning disability
  • has a mental health condition
  • is living with dementia
  • has sight, hearing or communication difficulties
  • has a long-term health condition
  • misuses drugs or alcohol

A carer doesn’t have to be living with the person they care for, and the help they give doesn’t have to be physical.

Things you may help do

You may be helping with:

attending appointments

shopping, personal finances

paperwork and administration

transportation

personal care, such as washing and dressing

going to the toilet or dealing with incontinence

eating or taking medicines

getting about at home or outside

practical things, like companionship

counselling, emotional support or communicating

Essex Wellbeing Service

Advice, information guidance on support available for you as a carer.

More information here

Carers Count in Essex

About essex.gov.uk

Supporting Carers in Essex

If you need support please visit Supporting Carers in Essex – To find out more how they can help you, their details are as follows:

Contact Carers Direct

Telephone – 0808 802 0202

Helpline Information – nhs.uk/carersdirect/carerslives/updates/pages/carersdirecthelpline.aspx

Email – carersdirect@nhschoices.nhs.uk

Office Hours – Lines are open 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm at weekends. Calls are free from UK landlines.

Accessible Information Standard

The Accessible Information Standard aims to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss get information that they can access and understand, and any communication support that they need from health and care services.

If you are a carer and look after someone who requires information from the surgery in any different format to assist them, please could you inform one of our receptionist. The patient’s record will then be updated with their preference to meet their needs.