Carer Ambassadors Project

Supporting Carers in Primary Care National Learning Event,

Manchester, 16 April 2013

Carers UKWe want society to respect, value and support carers.

• Established in 1965• Information and advice on caring• Practical and emotional support• Campaigning to make life better for carers• Influencing at a national and local level• 17,000 members• 9,000 Facebook & 9000 Twitter followers

Volunteer Carer Ambassadors have been recruited by Carers UK to collaborate with all local stakeholders to complement and support local strategies and action plans aimed at improving the identification and support of carers by GP practices.

The Role of Carer Ambassadors

What do Care Ambassadors have to offer?

• Extensive & diverse caring experience• Service user experience &

understanding of local environment• Diverse work experience• Local volunteering experience• Communications & influencing skills• Passion for improving services for other carers• Persistence, patience, ‘never give up’ attitude

Examples of Carer Ambassadors’ achievements

Instigated Supporting Carersin Primary Care Reference GroupDaphne Sanderson & Lucia Dedear

arranged meeting of all key stakeholders in Gloucestershire (including a GP) which resulted in agreement to organise a protected learning time session for GPs on carers

Bridget Leech provided carer awareness trainingto medical students with her local GP Championin Nottinghamshire

Volunteer Carers Lead in Dorset GP practice:Pat Vinycomb has become a volunteer Carers Lead at her local surgery and has identified over 100 new carers (around 8 per week)

Examples of Carer Ambassadors’ achievements

Examples of Carer Ambassadors’ achievements

Richard Cross, Vice-Chair of Cambridgeshire Carers’ Partnership Board, advised Essex County Council on the setting up of a similar group

Supported by Reading Council, Lynn Launchbury has edited a new magazine for carers, We Care

Louise Reecejones played a leading role in campaigning to have a consultation on the council’s plans to close a day care centre on the Wirral.

Plans for coming months• Adapting to new health and social care

structures• Focused recruitment of new Carer

Ambassadors• New resources• Continued collaboration with Carers Trust,

RCGP, RCN and QNI• Caring for Carers Awards

Michael ShannCarer Ambassadors Project Manager

michael.shann@carersuk.org