Carers
As you may know, Carers Support Centre offers information, advice, support and services to carers of all ages in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. A great way for carers to find information about caring and support they can access is on our website.
A carer is someone who provides support to family or friends who could not manage without this help. This could be caring for a relative, a partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or is affected by mental ill-health or substance misuse. It includes young people who may be caring at home.
We would like to encourage all carers to register with the GP surgery. Carers often neglect their own health as they are looking after someone else. By keeping a carer fit and well, we can support them to look after the cared for person in the best way and also look after their own physical and emotional wellbeing. If you are a carer, please contact the practice and ask to be put on the surgery carers register. You will be given a carers’ pack with information about support services and how the practice can help you. In most cases we can then:
- Offer a free flu vaccination
- Arrange flexible appointment times to meet the carers needs
- Share information about the person you care for to help in their caring role
- Let you know about other organisations that can help Bristol & South Gloucestershire Carers. They can be contacted via their website, www.carerssupportcentre.org.uk or you can contact the Carers Line on 0117 965 2200
Please let your doctor or a member of the surgery team know that you care for someone. GP Practices continue to be the first port of call for many carers. To have access to the Carers Support Centre website from your practice website would be a huge advantage both for carers and the people they care for as well as for clinical staff time. For more information about carers support in GP practices, please contact Suzanne Ponsford, GP Carer Liaison Worker: