Introduction

We're increasingly aware of the vital role that carers play in our community. They provide essential care to those in need of care and support and who, without that dedicated care, would not be able to remain at home.

Anyone can become a carer. Carers come from all walks of life, all cultures and can be of any age. Many don't consider themselves to be carers, they're just looking after their parent, partner or best friend and doing what they feel anyone else would do in their situation.

Supporting carers is a priority for the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWBB). The HWBB believes we need a new approach to health and care that nurtures wellness and encourages positive health behaviour at all stages of people’s lives, across all communities and across all the places and organisations in which we work and live.  In this way, we want all parts of the community in Shropshire to work together to support carers so that they don't feel isolated or unable to cope in their caring role.

To develop the priorities described in this strategy we've considered what carers have said that they want and need (both locally and nationally) and have identified six priority outcomes for carers (detailed later).

For the purpose of this draft strategy a carer is defined as:

“Someone who provides support to family or friends who couldn't manage without this help. This could be a parent caring for their child, caring for a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or substance misuse problems”.

We intend this to be an all-age strategy.

Demographic information   

The 2011 census shows us that among the 34,000 people currently caring for relatives, friends and neighbours in Shropshire, there are over a third who spend more than 20 hours a week caring, and over a fifth dedicate 50 hours or more a week to their caring role. There are 3,457 carers who indicated they had bad or very bad health.  Three in four carers are over the age of 54.

We know that carers in Shropshire care for people with a variety of conditions.

• Physical disability - 61%
• Long-standing illness – 39%
• Problems connected to old age – 32%
• Sight or hearing loss – 30%
• Dementia – 24%
• Learning disability - 20%
• Mental health problems -18%
• End of life – 6%
• Drug/alcohol dependency - 1%

Being a large rural county, a proportion of Shropshire’s carers will also be living in isolated areas. We know that living in remote rural areas can contribute to feelings of carer isolation and depression. Likewise caring can also lead carers to feel cut off from family support and loss of contact with friends and neighbours (Carers UK, 2014).

What carers have already told us

National carers survey (carers of adults)

This national survey of adult carers is run by all councils on a biennial basis. It forms part of a programme of national surveys, and has been developed and tested by the Personal Social Services Research Unit, to identify the extent to which outcomes identified by carers receiving any type of services are met.

The National Carers' Survey covers informal, unpaid carers aged 18 and over looking after an adult aged 18 or over, who have been assessed or reviewed during the past 12 months. The survey is conducted via a postal questionnaire.

In Shropshire a total of 811 surveys were issued from a sample group of 2002. The return rate for Shropshire was 51.5%. This is higher than the average for England 43.8%.

On the Quality of Life Indicators Shropshire performs above average. Two key areas for improvement highlighted through the survey were:

• Access to information and advice
• Feeling ‘involved’ or ‘consulted’  

The Shropshire Health and Wellbeing Strategy puts carers into focus by calling for joint work to support those in a caring role. Through the strategy consultation, the following themes were highlighted as important for supporting carers in Shropshire:

• Support - family, friend, groups
• Flexible working/supportive employers
• Time to themselves and Respite
• Easy to access information and advice
• Health checks and care for the carer.

Priorities

From what carers have already told us, we've highlighted six priority areas. We'd like to understand if we've got the priority areas right, and if so, what these priority areas mean to carers and what needs to happen locally for carers.

1. Carers are listened to, valued and respected
2. Carers receive timely access to up to date information and advice
3. Carers receive support to enable them to have time for themselves
4. Carers are supported to remain emotionally, mentally and physically well
5. Carers are supported in planning for the future
6. Carers are able to fulfill their educational, training or employment potential

The Carers Partnership Board and colleagues understand that improvements are required in each of these priority areas. We'll use the responses of the survey to help develop the action plan to make improvements in Shropshire.

Click on the "How to get involved" tab at the top of the page to access the survey.

Thank you to all who responded to the Shropshire Carers survey.  The responses have been collated, and will now form the basis of the Carers Strategy and Action Plan, of which the overarching aim will be: “Carers are supported to remain emotionally, mentally and physically well and safe”

These documents are in the final stages of production and will be available in the New Year, on Shropshire Council and the Shropshire Together websites.