The 2011 Census identified 22,208 adult carers in North Tyneside and it was estimated that there were up to 7,000 young carers living in the Borough. However, research in 2018 suggested the figure for young carers could be up to 800,000 young people in England alone. This means there may be six young carers in every North Tyneside secondary school class. 

North Tyneside Carers’ Centre has been working with the Clinical Commissioning Group and other stakeholders to develop a Carer Friendly Award Scheme Resource Pack. Its purpose is to support primary care to improve the experience of carers. The focus will be on better identification and sign posting. 

The pack aligns with Local and National guidance and has been developed from:

• North Tyneside CCG’s Carer Friendly Practice Award Scheme sets out Gold, Sliver and Bronze activities that Practices can take to support unpaid carers.
• NHS England’s Quality Markers for Unpaid Carers – this set of markers provides practical ideas on actions that can be taken to support unpaid carers.
• NICE:  Supporting Adult Carers (QS200) – this set of Quality Standards should be used as a way that a practice can self-assess the work they are doing to support unpaid carers.  
• The key messages will include asking patients if they provide support to someone who could not otherwise manage, to establish if they are an unpaid carer and information about or a referral to the Carers’ Centre.

The pack will contain:

• Information on the benefits to supporting unpaid carers.
• Guidance on training, accessing information on carer identification, accessing slides for waiting rooms.
• Guidance on identification and onward referral.
• Guidance on the use of a template to code carers so they can be identified on a GP practice system.
• Guidance on the benefits of providing an annual carer wellbeing check.
• Guidance on how staff in primary care who are carers can be supported.

We will keep you updated on progress via our website and in future newsletters