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Help and support for carers

You may not see yourself as a carer in the formal sense if the person you are caring 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.

What is a Care Plan?

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.

Where can I find more information or access support?

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.

Contacts at Bradford Teaching Hospitals

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

Local contacts

Carers’ Toolkit
West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership Carers’ Toolkit

Local authority
Find your local authority and their contact details.

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 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.

Carers UK
Making life better for carers.

Learning disabilities and PPE

Can I get help to look after the person I am caring for?

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 Patient Experience office at Bradford Royal Infirmary can be contacted on 01274 364021.

When should I get a Carer's Needs Assessment?

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.

What happens if my caring responsibilities change after the person I care for leaves hospital?

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.

National contacts

  • Age UK

    Age UK
    Information and support for the over 60s
    Helpline: 0800 169 6565

  • Alzheimer's Society

    Alzheimer’s Society
    Help and support for those living with dementia.
    Helpline: 0300 222 1122

  • Carers Direct

    Carers Direct
    Information, advice and support for carers
    Telephone: 0300 123 1053

  • Carers UK

    Carers UK
    Help and advice to carers in the UK
    Advice line: 0808 808 7777

  • Carers Trust

    Carers Trust
    Support for carers and the people they care for.
    Telephone: 0300 772 9600

  • Citizens Advice

    Citizens Advice
    Advice/representation on benefits, debt and housing.
    Telephone: 03442 451282

  • Contact

    Contact
    A charity for families with children with a disability or special need.
    Telephone: 0808 808 3555

  • Disabled Living Foundation

    Disabled Living Foundation
    A national charity providing impartial advice, information and training on independent living.
    Telephone: 0300 999 0004

  • Mencap

    Mencap
    Information and advice for people with a learning disability, their families and carers
    Telephone: 0808 808 1111

  • Samaritans

    Samaritans
    A 24-hour helpline for those in need of help.
    Telephone: 08457 90 90 90