Carers Rights Day - Thursday 26 November 2020
Whether new to caring or a carer of many years, it’s important that those supporting our service users understand their rights and are able to access the support available to them as soon as they need it. Each year, Carers Rights Day helps to:
- ensure carers are aware of their rights
- let carers know where to get help and support
- raise awareness of the needs of carers
Carers Rights Day 2020 takes place on Thursday 26th November. This year’s theme is 'Know Your Rights'. During the current pandemic, this is more important then ever.
A recent survey of carers across the UK found that:
- four in five carers are providing more care for relatives because of the pandemic
- 78% reported that the needs of the person they care for have increased during the pandemic
- two thirds (67%) worried about how they will cope through further lockdowns or local restrictions
At GMMH we have a library of Carer resources available - put together by listening to what carers say would be beneficial. These include:
Mental Health Carers Handbook – Developed as a guide to caring for somebody with mental ill-health or substance misuse issues. This booklet was written to help alleviate common concerns faced by Mental Health Carers as well as answering frequently asked questions. It covers the stigma faced by mental health carers, common coping strategies for managing difficult situations, information on additional support available to carers and is a really good place to start!
Carers and Confidentiality Guide – Information sharing with carers, family and friends is essential to provide effective care. Ideally, there would be free flow of information between service users, their carers and professionals. However, consent to sharing information can sometimes make this difficult. This guide is to help our service users, their carers and staff understand information sharing and confidentiality between each other and includes frequently asked questions around the issue as well as tips for building effective communication between carers and professionals.
Carers Information Sharing Form – At times, perhaps due to the service user choosing to not give consent to involve carers/family in their care, carers can feel that their knowledge is not utilized by mental health professionals. This form is for cases where the service user has chosen to not share information with the carer or for where writing down their thoughts, concerns and views would help to inform the care that we provide.
Carers Information: Understanding Mental Health Treatment – Book 1 – The first in a planned series of booklets to help carers understand and navigate their way through mental health treatment. This resource focusses on understanding Community Treatment Orders, the Hospital Managers and Tribunal process. This informative resource will guide carers through the process and signpost them to information and services to help.
Lasting Power of Attorney Booklet – When carers are asked about what they worry about most, they often reply “what will happen in the future”. This booklet around Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) has been developed to support them with this concern. An LPA can be very useful as it allows the carer the opportunity to act in the best interests of the person they care for if they lose capacity to make decisions for themselves. It allows the carer to carry out the wishes of the person they care for when it comes to their care and treatment, finances and more.
All our Carer Resources can be found here: https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/carer-booklets-leaflets-and-more
Events for Carers Rights Day 2020
Carers Manchester
On #CarersRightsDay, Thursday 26 November, a new support pathway is being launched for carers in Manchester.
Carers Manchester is a partnership of statutory and voluntary organisations, working together to improve services for Manchester’s unwaged carers.
The pathway includes a dedicated carers helpline, a network of 18 carers organisations as well as enhanced carers support for you in your local area (due to start in December).
At 10am on Carers Rights Day there will be a special event broadcasted from the carers Manchester Facebook page to celebrate the launch of this new service. There will be guest speakers and conversations with carers. Please join this online event from 10am – 11.30am – on Thurs 26 November on Carers Manchester Facebook page.
For more information on our services and what we can do for you as a carer, visit carersmanchester.org.uk
Acheive Drug and Alcohol, Treatment and Recovery Services
Carers need to know their rights wherever they are in their caring journey: whether they are in the workplace, in a healthcare setting, when interacting with professionals or at home. This Carers Rights Day, we want to empower carers with information and support, so they can feel confident asking for what they need. We also want carers to know how to challenge things when their rights are not being met.
For any further information around the Trust's commitment to Carers, contact neil.grace@gmmh.nhs.uk
