Carers Strategy image

Carers Strategy

SUPPORT FOR CARERS OUTLINED

An updated strategy outlining plans to support for carers in the city will be introduced by the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership.

A Caring Dundee 2 was presented to the Integration Joint Board (IJB) on 27 October. The Strategy strengthens work to identify carers and seeks to promote and develop services available to carers in the city.

The updated strategy sets out the approach and actions by which the Dundee Carers Partnership will deliver on their vision and outcomes for carers of all ages who are living in Dundee as well as those who are caring for people in Dundee.

This updated Strategy will focus on four outcomes for carers. The aim of the strategy is that carers will feel that they are:

  • heard, recognised, respected and able to be involved
  • supported to have the best possible caring experience
  • able to live a full and healthy life
  • able to have a life of their own and balance the caring role in their life

A Caring Dundee 2 reflects ongoing and extensive involvement of carers, the workforce and other stakeholders and has been particularly influenced by findings from the Dundee Partnership Covid-19 Engagement findings.

A number of actions have already been taken in order to address some of the feedback from the findings and in August the IJB committed to spending over half a million pounds to benefit carers in the city.

This spending will cover a number of areas including, increasing respite provision, improving the health of young carers, and improving mental health services for carers.

Chair of the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership, Councillor Ken Lynn said: “Carers carry out a hugely important role in the city and this strategy recognises the importance of their work and our commitment to supporting them to do this work.

“We know there has been an increase of around 6,000 carers during the pandemic and there will be a particular focus on reaching those new carers and helping them understand and use the support that is available to them.

“Caring is extremely rewarding, but also comes with significant implications on the individual. We want to make sure that we are delivering for carers and that is why we have been working with carers to produce this strategy.”

Professor Alan Baird, Convenor, Dundee Carers Centre said: ‘Dundee Carers Centre is appreciative of the development of the local Carers Strategy which sets out the ambitions of how we all work together alongside carers to support them in their caring role, whilst also having a life of their own. We look forward to working together to identify new and creative ways to reach and support carers, whilst ensuring that carers get the right support at the right time.’

Carers Representative on the Integration Joint Board, Martyn Sloan said: “I wholeheartedly welcome the new strategy produced by the Carers Partnership as part of the Dundee Health Social Care Partnership, it's fantastic to see carers being involved in its creation at all stages, it's an important strategy but should not be seen as the last stop for the development of the carers strategy but as another stage in its ongoing development that will see it evolve over time. 

“I hope to see more carers getting identified either through self-identification or through referrals by partner agencies, the more that people identify the more services will get stronger over time in supporting carers, it must be recognised that the work of the constituent members of the carers partnership can only get stronger with more carers getting involved and speaking up, what made me glad was the number of sessions that were carried out through the pandemic that helped shape the strategy by speaking directly to carers and getting their feedback which went into the strategy, something that I hope will only get stronger once we have come out of this challenging time."

Carers of Dundee will be hosting a virtual hub to mark Carers Rights day on Thursday 25 November, and this will feature the launch of the new Carers Strategy and other information to support carers in their role.

A Caring Dundee 2 was presented to the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership Integration Joint Board on 27 October.