Mental Health Liaison Team Salisbury District Hospital Information for carers in Dorset

Welcome

The person you care for is receiving, or has received, a service from Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Trust (AWP). As a Trust, we would like to welcome you in working together with us to support the person you care for and in supporting you in your caring role.

What is a carer?

Throughout this leaflet we use the term ‘carer’. When we use the word carer, we mean everyone who is involved with and gives support to another person, whether they live with the person or not.

A carer could be a spouse or partner, a relative (such as a parent, child or sibling) or a close friend or neighbour. What all carers have in common is wanting to help the person they care for to be safe and as well as possible.

Valuing carers

AWP is committed to carers being fully involved and supported. We recognise that including carers benefits staff, carers and service users alike. After all, you see the person day in and day out so know the ‘well’ person’s’ personality. You will see those subtle behaviour changes and are likely to be the first person to see a crisis developing.

Confidentiality and information sharing

We may not always receive consent from the service user to share things with you, but we always have consent to listen to you.

Carers can understandably find it frustrating when they would like to know more about the support the person they care for is receiving, and they are refused information.There may be some things that the person you care for does not wish us to share or involve you with. Where this is the case, we will be open about this with you and offer support by other means.

We encourage all our carers to ask questions and build relationships with us. Please do not see the fact that we are unable to share specific information with you about the person you care for as a complete barrier.

There may also be times when we have to share information about the person you care for with other services because of our legal duty to keep the person, or others around them, safe from harm. This would be a last choice for us, and would only be done in those very specific circumstances.

Safeguarding our service users is a fundamental part of service user safety and wellbeing.

Carers Cafes are a great way to connect with other carers to share experiences and receive or offer support. There are a number of cafes throughout Dorset.

Blandford Group Practice, Corn Exchange, Market Place, 4^th Tuesday of every month 10am-1pm.

The Town Hall, High Street Shaftesbury Wednesdays 2pm-6pm.

Please see the Carer Support Dorset website for up to date information.

For advice and support

about caring for someone with mental health needs, please call

Dorset Connection a 24/7 Helpline on 0800 652 0190
NHS 111 and press option 2 to speak to a MH practitioner.

Rethink Dorset also offer carers support. For more information, email: dorsetcarers@rethink.org

AWP Carers Packs
Carers packs are available on our website here and resources can be found here. https://www.awp.nhs.uk/patients-and-carers/information-carers

https://www.awp.nhs.uk/patients-and-carers/useful-links-and-resources

or please ask one of our team for a copy.

Carer Support Dorset

Carer Support Dorset is a local charity that supports all unpaid carers, including young carers and young adult carers. They help carers to access services, information, education and training, respite and breaks from their caring role.

Telephone: 0800 3688349

For more information visit their website: www.carersupportdorset.co.uk

Carer’s Assessments

All carers have the right to support through a free carer’s needs assessment carried out by their local council.

This will look at the support you need, whether you are able and willing to keep on caring and things that you want to be able to do in your daily life. They will then work out a plan and provide information and signposting to make sure your needs are met.

A Carer’s assessment can be carried out over the phone or face to face.

If you would like to arrange a Carers Assessment then please fill out the form on: www.bridgit.care/support/dorset