Carers Rights Day - Caring costs

24 Nov 22

Today, 24 November, is Carers Rights Day and it is a key opportunity for us all to recognise the tremendous contribution that carers make. A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, addiction, or who needs extra help as they grow older. Anyone can become a carer - they come from all walks of life and cultures and can be any age.

At HPFT, we understand the impact that caring responsibilities have on unpaid carers and that there is often a need to support and help people in their caring role, to improve their own health and wellbeing. We provide a wide range of information that gives essential information for carers about their role and how they can get the support they need. Go to the carers section of our website for more information.

The theme for this year’s Carers Rights Day is Caring Costs. These can include the cost to unpaid carers wellbeing and ability to access health services themselves, as well as the financial costs associated with looking after someone or the effects on carers employment options.

Carers legal advice online session – Wednesday 30 November 2022

To mark Carers Right Day, we are running an online legal advice session on Wednesday 30 November to help carers navigate the legal frameworks around managing affairs on behalf of a service user, whether that’s now or in the future.

Our Mental Health Act team will be running the event from 12noon to 1.15pm via Microsoft Teams. Click here to join the event and ask any questions you might have.

Working with our partners

Together with our partners, we want to empower carers with information and support, so they can feel confident in asking for what they need and can challenge things when their rights are not being met. Here is some of the work that is currently underway and how you can get involved:

Carers Strategy for Hertfordshire 2022-25

A new Carers Strategy for Hertfordshire has been published. This strategy aims to support carers’ wellbeing to help them to balance caring with their own needs.

For the first time a single Strategy for Adult Carers and Young Carers has been developed with carers. The Strategy reaffirms partnership working between carers, health and social care providers and other agencies.

There are four objectives, based on carers’ own priorities, which are: Be informed; Life beyond caring; Maintaining health and wellbeing; and Receiving consistent, joined up services. You can view the Carers Strategy at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/carersstrategy

Healthwatch Hertfordshire’s unpaid carer survey

Healthwatch Hertfordshire have launched a survey for unpaid carers. If you are an unpaid carer living in Hertfordshire, whether or not you are registered as a carer with your GP, you can share your views and experiences by completing the survey here.

Carers UK

The national Carers UK website has extensive information about all aspects of being a carer and can offer a wide range of support.

Related Pages

Carers Rights Day - Caring costs