County consults Northern Warwickshire’s carers
Carers in Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire are being consulted about how they can be helped in events organised by Guideposts Carers Support Service in partnership with Warwickshire County Council.
As well as the events, questionnaires have been distributed throughout Northern Warwickshire via many of the county’s venues such as libraries and community centres.
Services such as the Rural Housebound Service, run by Warwickshire Libraries, have also ensured that copies of the questionnaire have reached people who are unable to get to libraries.
Among the questions that the county is seeking answers to are how long carers have been looking after someone, the issues facing the person they care for and how many hours of care they provide each week
The event is seen as a way to engage carers and to get as much information as possible as the county seeks an overview of the real issues which it will then put forward to the government’s national care strategy.
Among the issues that are likely to be raised are additional respite care, greater financial care, practical and emotional support and respect for the unpaid carer’s role from professionals and support concerning their own health
According to the 2001 census, there were 7,070 unpaid carers in North Warwickshire, 13,212 in Nuneaton and Bedworth. With a population that is on the increase and people living longer, that figure is expected to have risen considerably.
Warwickshire’s strategic director of Adult, Health and Community Services is Dr Graeme Betts. Graeme is the joint lead for care services for ADASS (Association of Directors of Adult Social Services) and has campaigned nationally for Warwickshire’s carers to receive the help and support that they need. He said:
“We are looking to have as much input as we can into the national strategy and want this questionnaire and these consultation events to increase our knowledge of what carers want and how we can help them.
“However, we are also looking to consult as much as possible with carers, not only to inform national strategy about the situation for carers in Warwickshire, but also to ensure that our own priorities for carers are relevant and responding on a local scale to what carers need and want.”
The carers consultation events start at 9.30am and run through until 1.30 in the Early Years Centre, Kings Avenue, Atherstone on Wednesday 19 September and at the Anmol Centre, Upper Abbey Street, Nuneaton the following day, Thursday 20 September.