Carers' Support (Bexley)

GP Practices

GP practices are often the first point of contact for many carers.

Carers’ Support (Bexley) is the leading Charity providing support for carers in Bexley.

How Carers Support (Bexley) works with GP practices:

We can:

§ Arrange for one of our staff to meet one to one with any of your patients who are Carers,

to look at their individual situation and put them in touch with services that can support them.

§ Provide information materials for Carers including leaflets, posters, information for your practice,

website or digital display screen.

§ Run advice and support clinics for carers at your GP practice

Checklist for health professionals

1. If you only have time to do one thing for a carer, print them off the Carer Information Prescription below.

Download Carer Information Prescription

If you feel they are unlikely to seek help for themselves, refer the Carer to Carers’ Support (Bexley) for up to date information and advice on local services or emotional and practical support. You can refer the Carer by telephone on: 020 8302 8011 or by email: carerssupport@nhs.net. You only need to provide the Carer’s name, address and telephone number as we will contact them and find out all the other information we need.

2. If you judge the Carer’s needs as high risk refer them to Bexley Social Services: 020 3045 5159

3. Help the Carer to recognise themselves as a Carer. Tell them as a Carer they:

§ Should add themselves to your Practice Carer Register.

§ Are eligible for a free flu injection each autumn.

§ Can ask for flexible appointments at your surgery if caring prevents them from attending otherwise.

§ Should keep a check on their health and wellbeing and make an appointment with their GP if they feel the are not coping or are unwell.

§ May be eligible for a Carers Assessment from their local authority.

4. If the patient is a young carer, or is supported by a young carer, refer them to the Bexley Young Carers Service on 0300 111 1110.

Carer Surgeries
Carer surgeries are one-to-one information, advice and support clinics for Carers, provided by one of our Carers Information and Support Workers. The GP practice provides the room and takes responsibility for identifying Carers and booking them in for appointments. To find out more, contact us on 020 8302 8011 or via carerssupport@nhs.net.

A Carer surgery gives:

§ An opportunity to talk to someone about their individual needs as a Carer so that we can put them in touch with appropriate support services.

§ Help to register as a Carer with their GP surgery

§ A disability and Carer benefits check

§ Advice about staying in, or returning to, employment

§ A chance to talk about how caring is affecting them and be recognised as an equal partner in care.

How to identify carers

GP surgeries are usually the first place that Carers have contact with the NHS. And staff are well placed to recognise that someone is, or is about to become, a Carer. With your help we hope to find ‘hidden Carers’ and promote the uptake of the Carer services available.

Good ways of identifying Carers are:

§ Have a Carers’ notice board and keep a display of Carers News in reception

§ Use the digital display template in reception

§ Use Carers’ identification/consent forms and keep a Carer Register

§ Use annual flu clinics

Digital display

You can add your own practice details to this template for your digital display board.

Download Digital Display Presentation

Carer Register

A Carer Register is a database which enables GP practices to identify Carers and those being cared for. Use this template form to record details of Carers and to get their consent to refer them to Carers Support (Bexley) for support and advice.

Download Carers registration form

Display this leaflet in reception. It has a tear off slip which can be handed in to reception, so that a Carer can be added to your Carer Register. .

Download GP leaflet with registration form

Registers can be used to:

§ Ensure that appointments are accessible to Carers who would otherwise struggle to attend due to their caring role.

§ Where appropriate, support the sharing of medical information of a cared for person's condition to allow the Carer to effectively manage their health and social care needs at home.

§ Provide effective information about and signposting to Carer support services

§ Raise awareness with GPs and practice staff that someone is a Carer for consideration during consultations

§ Ensure that outpatient appointments and admission letters give information that the patient is a Carer.

Flu clinics
Flu clinics in GP practices provide a good way of identifying and supporting previously ‘hidden’ or unknown Carers. Department of Health guidance has identified Carers as a target group to receive the flu vaccination.

Download NHS carers flu vaccination poster

Information packs for Carers
When a new patient registers as a Carer, we recommend you give them your own information pack, which can help to signpost them to support. You may find these leaflets useful for your pack, and can tailor them to suit your needs.

Download Practice pack letter

Download GP surgery booklet

Download EasyRead Carers Services Leaflet

Download Top 8 tips for Supporting Young Carers Flyer

Checklist to use with ‘end of life’ carers

Our experience suggests that Carers are often left out of end of life care discussions, despite their involvement on a day-to-day level. We have produced a checklist you can give to Carers which includes, for example, talking to the person they care for about the care they would like; and knowing where they would like to be when they die.

Download Carers checklist for end of life care