When you are an unpaid carer life can become a bit of a balancing act. Your care responsibilities might mean that you are not able to work full time, or you might need to drop everything and rush home at a moment’s notice. Socialising can often take a back seat and things that we all take for granted, such as holidays, day trips and quality time with friends, are often overlooked.
Care packages are often complicated and trying to access services can quickly turn into a daily battle with faceless healthcare departments who fail to communicate with each other. This is not just stressful, it is also time-consuming and creates distrust in the system.
In short, being a carer does not just take a toll on your finances, it can take a toll on your emotional wellbeing too.
There are 5.4 million people in England who care for a family member or a friend. At least 1.3 million of this figure spend over 50 hours a week carrying out their care responsibilities. The system is already at breaking point and with an aging population these numbers are only set to rise. None of us can deny that the status quo is unsustainable.
Last year I became one of the 5.4 million when I had to step up and help to care for somebody that I love. The experience was stressful, exhausting and left our family feeling like we were left on our own. It should not be that difficult.
Being an unpaid carer is never going to be easy but today’s announcements by shadow care minister Liz Kendall go a long way to finally breaking down the barriers, financial or otherwise, that become all too real when a family member falls ill.
The new measures will bring the countless phonecalls to physiotherapists, dieticians, and various hospital departments to an end. Instead, there will be a single point of contact between service users and care services. This is important for two reasons. First, it will make it easier to arrange appointments and care, freeing up time. Second, it will mean that healthcare professionals can tailor care packages more effectively, reducing the likelihood of a crisis.
Additionally a new duty on the NHS to identify family carers will mean that healthcare professionals can make reasonable assessments and expectations of the care that their family can provide.
Introducing flexible working hours and adjustment leave – to deal with short-term crises – will make it easier for unpaid carers to stay in work, should they wish to. Breaking down the barriers to work does not just help with short-term financial pressures, it allows for carers to plan for the future too.
The new measures signal a shift away from viewing our health and social care problems in isolation and towards a sustainable system of personalised, reactive care. Our unpaid carers are the unsung heroes of our communities. We need to look after them too.
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Kerrie Gilbert is a member of Progress. She tweets @KerrieAGilbert