Cumbria and the North East
TRANSFORMING PARTICIPATION
FORUM
The power of pulling togethermulti agency strategy to support
carers in Sunderland
Julie McDonald
Eibhlin Inglesby
Sunderland Multi-Agency Carers Strategy
Outcomes:
• Identification: Carers will be identified and recognised as
early as possible to enable better support
• Recognition: Carers will be respected as expert care partners
and will have access to the integrated and personalised
services they and the cared for need to support them in their
caring role
• Realising/Releasing Potential: Carers will be supported to
engage in employment, education and training opportunities
• Ensuring a life outside of caring: Carers will be able to have a
life of their own alongside their caring role
• Staying Healthy: Carers will be supported to stay healthy
• Young Carers: Young carers will be supported and protected
for inappropriate caring
Sunderland Multi-Agency Carers Strategy
• Chair: Local Authority Head of Commissioning
Membership:
• Local Authority
• Sunderland CCG
• Northumberland Tyne and Wear Mental Health Foundation
Trust
• City Hospitals Sunderland Foundation Trust
• South Tyneside Foundation Trust
• Sunderland Carers’ Centre
• Sunderland University
• Sunderland College
• Job Centre +
• AGE UK Sunderland
Key Collaboration : CHSFT and
Sunderland Carers Centre
Carers Reference Group
Outcomes :
• Meet and Greet Service at entrances
• Each patient is asked on admission if they “receive help from
anyone”, to prompt a discussion about carers.
• Increased carer involvement in care planning; as part of Real Time
Feedback we ask 10 patients on every ward each month if carers
are involved as much as they would like.
• Developed a FAQ leaflet
• Discharge checklist includes carers
• Carers emergency card
• End of life, carers diary
• Carers Charter; reinforced in induction and training
CHS Carers Charter
“A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, neighbour or
relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness or disability”
Carers are a vital part of the wider Health and Community Care system. City Hospitals
Sunderland is committed to the development of good quality, flexible services to support
patients and carers and involve carers in both care management and service planning
decisions.
•Recognition & Value
As carers you will be recognised as “experts”
involved in all aspects of care including assessment,
planning, treatment and discharge planning where
appropriate.
•Working Together
City Hospitals will work together with health,
social and voluntary organisations to place patients
and carers at the heart of all that we do.
•Recognising Young Carers
City Hospitals will aim to ensure that young carers
and their needs are recognised and identified at the
earliest stage possible.
•Patient Advisory Liaison Service
We will work closely with carer support
organisations city wide by promoting contacts and
ensuring an exchange of information to improve care
for our patients and families.
•Staff Awareness
All City Hospitals front line staff will receive carer
awareness training to develop an understanding of the
role of carers and recognise and respond to carers’
individual needs
•Carer Involvement
As a carer you will be consulted and involved in
both service reviews and care pathway development.
Carers’ views will be represented throughout the
organisation.
Awareness Raising
Carers and Staff from Sunderland Carers’ Centre
involved in delivering training to
• 3rd Year Medical Students
• Preceptorship Nursing Staff
• Health Care Assistants
• Multi disciplinary teams at conferences and
workshops
• Interviewing prospective HCA and Nursing
Staff
Other Carers’ Centre Involvement with CHS
• Patient Carer and Public Experience
Committee
• Carers Reference Group
• Dementia Strategy Group
• Stroke Strategy Group
• Alexandra Centre drop in
Alexandra Centre
“What a great idea! Mam has dementia
and craves company, loves to take to
and interact with people. Her mood
deteriorates badly the longer she is on
her own and the less social interaction
she has”
“Excellent facility that allows
dementia patients especially to
retain social contact and have
immediate access to medical
support. Staff have to be
commended on their splendid
social skills”
Collaborative Working
Other key Initiatives
• Carer Improvement Scheme with GPs and CCG
• Integrated Teams as part of the Vanguard
initiative (Carers’ Assessments)
• Sunderland Care Academy
• Multi-agency Young Carers Strategy
• Principal Community Pathways –NTW
• Continued Collaboration with Sunderland
University Social Work and Health Sciences
• The Essence Service