Information for carers

You may not see yourself as a carer in the formal sense if the person you are looking for is a partner, relative or friend. However, if you look after someone with a health problem, you may be entitled to help and support.

If you are over 16, you can ask for a Carer’s Needs Assessment from your local authority. If you are under 16, you can be assessed for help by the local authority if the person you care for has already had an assessment.

If you are still unsure about anything, please get in touch with our Patient Experience team, who may be able to help. They can be contacted on: 01274 364021.

It outlines the health and social care support that will be provided to the person you look after, and includes the details of any community support, how often this needs to be provided, who will be responsible for care and how to contact them.

It is very important that the views of the patient’s carer are taken into account, including whether you are willing to provide care when the person you look after leaves hospital. Care plans should be reviewed annually, if not more frequently.

There are lots of charities that provide help, support and respite to carers. Exactly what is available will differ depending on where you live but you can find some ideas of the things on offer below.

Patient Experience team
General information, support and advice for all patients and carers
Telephone: 01274 364021

Local authority
Find your local authority and their contact details at the following website:
www.gov.uk/find-your-local-council

Bradford Council – Integrated Carers’ Service
The service provides help and support for carers to live a life of their own alongside their caring role. This is done by helping carers to discover opportunities for social and leisure activities as well as training, work and education.

Carers’ Resource
Information, advice and support for carers throughout the region.

Making Space – Bradford and Airedale Carer Support Service
Professional and caring support workers provide a free service to carers in Bradford and Airedale.

Barnardo’s Bradford Young Carers Service
A partnership between Barnardo’s, Bradford CCG’s and the local authority, the service was established in 1994 and has continued to address the needs of young carers aged 5 to 18 by working with a range of agencies.

You may want to look after a relative but need more time to work or go to school if you are a young carer; everyone needs time to themselves. If you are over 16, you can ask for a Carer’s Needs Assessment from your local authority. If you are under 16, you can be assessed for help from your local authority if the person you are caring for has already had an assessment.

These assessments are not tests. They are a chance for you to talk to social services to see if they can help you. The local authority then looks at the results of the assessment to see if you are entitled to any extra help to care for the person you are looking after.

The main PALS office at Bradford Royal Infirmary can be contacted on 01274 364021.

If you provide regular and substantial care for anyone, you should consider having an assessment as soon as possible so you do not miss out on anything you might be entitled to.

The person you look after should not be discharged from hospital until they are medically fit, their needs have been assessed and any support they need is in place.

Our staff should give you time to consider whether or not you want to or are able to care for the patient once they leave hospital. We can make other arrangements while you decide. If you decide you are going to provide regular and substantial care, you are entitled to your own Carer’s Needs Assessment from social services. If you think you are unable to provide the right care for any reason, you could still be involved in helping to shape the care plan.

You can ask the local authority at any time for a reassessment if the needs of the person you are looking after change.