Response to proposals for carers legislation
1. Do you agree that carers need resources, which should be separate from services provided to the cared-for person?
Yes � all too often assessments are made only of the person receiving care. Carers need to have access to assessment in their own right, and to receive information about how to do this. Carers� needs are complementary to, and not synonymous with, the needs of the person being cared for.
2. What kind of resources do you think carers need?
Carers require information, advice and support. But if carers are also expected to (and some want) to be involved in planning/consultation, then training is required. Financial support should be given in this role. Carers cannot be expected to give their services free of charge.
3. Should carers be charged for resources provided to them?
No. Carers should be recognised as partners in care.Carers should not be expected to pay for resources which enable them to continue caring, and also allow them to retain a reasonable quality of life.
4. Should former carers continue to be supported for a period after their caring ends? If so, what sort of support are they likely to need at this point?
As well as the financial measures already in place, former carers require support in coming to terms with no longer being a carer. The support required will depend to some extent on the reasons why they are no longer carers. For example, carers may feel a sense of loss or bereavement. They may have stopped caring because of poor health, the death of the cared for person, or because they are no longer able to care.
5. Should carers be entitled to an assessment in their own right in all circumstances?
Yes. Carers, if they are to continue in their role, require support to do so. Therefore, it is vital that all carers have the right to an assessment, despite what the �cared for� person has or has not agreed to. The �cared for� person may not want, or consent to, an assessment, which presently means that the carer cannot have an assessment. For example, those with a mental illness may not always agree to an assessment, thus leaving their carer without the right to one, leaving the carer with no assessment of the support they need to continue in their role.
6. Would a legal duty on local authorities to provide information and offer assessments to carers be workable?
There should be no reason as to why this should not work, although this would obviously involve considerable liaison between local authorities and NHSiS.
7. What would be the most effective way of increasing carers� take-up of assessments and support?
Carers need to be given information so that they can be made aware of their right to an assessment. Many do not know of existing rights under the Carers (Recognition & Services) Act 1995. With assessments, carers would be in a better position to receive the support they require.
8. How could the NHS help support carers more effectively?
Frontline contact (e.g. giving information/advice through primary and secondary care services) with carers is an obvious first step to supporting carers; but this still leaves the NHSiS with the problem about who is to provide the support. There must be effective links between the NHSiS, local authorities and the voluntary sector to make sure that support is offered to carers. Carers should be sign posted to sources of support, including self-help and mutual support organisations [for example, in mental health, NSF (Scotland)]
9. Would a legal duty on the NHS to identify carers wherever possible, offer them information and refer them on to other agencies be workable?
It would be workable, but only if the NHSiS was given the resources to offer this service on a continuous basis. All too often such projects are undertaken by the voluntary sector on short term funding. When the funding ends/is withdrawn, the services collapse.
10. Should young carers be entitled to an assessment in their own right in all circumstances? How could this be done in a way that supports family relationships?
This is a difficult position. Not all parents who are the �cared for� person will consent to their child�s needs being assessed. There may be a real fear that they as parents may be regarded as not coping, therefore consequences from �social work� are feared. Equally, youngsters too, feel that it is their �responsibility� to look after/support a parent, and if they thought that social services thought that their parents required support then the child too can fear the �consequences� of social work involvement. The above is especially true for children whose parent may be suffering from a mental illness.
Rather than the young carer, or the cared for person having their needs assessed,
NSF (Scotland) suggests that the needs of the whole family are assessed as a unit. Obviously there are times when a child needs are paramount, regardless of parental views/consent. This is an area which the Children�s Act may address. If a child is to be given adequate support in their role as a young carer, there should be no reason why that family cannot function well as a unit. In other words, the needs of the family as a whole must be assessed and met.
11. Should carers have a statutory right to breaks from caring? If so, under what circumstances and how could this work?
Yes. However, some concerns have been expressed over a �statutory right� to breaks from caring. Whilst there is a definite need for carers to have access to respite services when required, sensitivity and effective communication is required to ensure that the needs of the �cared for� person are also addressed.
12. How might such a right affect local authorities� overall flexibility to provide a range of appropriate support for carers and others?
The provision of respite services should be part of a package of support available to carers. The costs to statutory services of carers becoming unable to care should be at the forefront of planners� minds when questions of resources are under consideration.
13. Do parent carers have sufficient rights already under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, or should a new enhanced right to carers� assessments extend to them?
Anyone with the Parental Responsibilities for a child should have the right to a carer�s assessment, so that they may be able to provide adequate support to that child.
14. Is there a case for voucher schemes to allow cared-for people and their carers to schedule breaks to suit them better?
If carers or the �cared for� person were entitled to respite care, then a voucher scheme does seem a good idea. This would allow flexibility � respite could be accessed at a time when most beneficial to the carer and the �cared for�.
15. What do you estimate are the resource implications of the Group�s recommendations for local authorities, other agencies and bodies, or for cared-for people?
Whilst there may be some increased cost if the recommendations were to be implemented, we must remember that costs of caring by local authorities, etc will spiral if carers are not supported in their role. Carers require support so that they may care; without resources/support, many carers may no longer be able to provide their services.
You may also wish to indicate your views on other recommendations made by the Group which you do not feel are covered separately in the questions above.
List here the Group�s recommendations you agree with:
All.
List here the Group�s recommendations you do not agree with and why:
None. However, there are no references made to mental health carers or any other specific groups. It must be recognised that whilst there are many similarities in the lives of carers, there are many other issues which must be addressed depending on the diagnosis and needs of the �cared for� person.
Which of the recommendations made by the Group do you regard as the highest priorities, in terms of the effect they could have on the lives of carers? Please list them in order of priority (ie, highest priority first)
It is very difficult to prioritise the recommendations, all of them are of equal importance. However, it is imperative that carers are regarded as key partners in the provision of care, and have a right to receive information. This applies to young carers as well. Carers should not be expected to pay for resources which should enable them to continue to care for the �cared for� person.
