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The Trust recognises the vital role that carers play in ensuring the health and well-being of those they care for. The Trust is committed to ensuring a partnership approach to working with carers is adopted in which the role of carers, along with their expertise and understanding of the patient’s needs, are recognised and taken into account when planning patient care, treatment and discharge.
Carers may not always perceive themselves as carers and may just consider themselves as partners, relatives or friends. Staff are expected to help carers recognise the extent of their involvement and commitment so that their needs as carers can be assessed and supported.
Care Partner Badge
The badge recognises that as a carer you should be considered as an expert and equal partner and we need to work with you to achieve this.
Having a ULTH Care Partner badge on means you will be visible and recognised for the incredibly important role you play. You will be allowed free visiting on the ward and we will work with you to agree the level of input you want to retain during the hospital stay and not make assumptions or take advantage of you!
Please speak to the ward/department staff who will issue you with a badge and a care partner agreement.
Care Partner Survey
Families and care partners can offer valuable insights into hospital services.
We are keen to capture the views of care partners regarding the quality of care received by the person/patient they care for at United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and to understand how care partners themselves feel they have been treated in the hospital environment.
You are a ‘Care partner if…you give up your time, without pay, to look after a family member, friend or neighbour who is ill, frail or has a disability. You may be a young carer, parent carer, or care for an older person or other adult with care needs.
If you are a care partner, we would like to invite you to complete our carer’s survey; it should take no longer than 8 minutes to complete. Please scan the QR to complete the survey.
Thank you for completing this questionnaire. The results will help inform our plans to improve services for carers.
Care Partner Charter
All Care Partners will be given information and support
This means we will:
- Be involved in planning and agreeing the care plan for the person for whom you care
- Include you in discharge planning and provide information regarding care and medication
- Signpost you to relevant information and advice and enable you to get help from the carer support services
- Take a ‘whole family’ approach to supporting carer partner, recognising the needs of young care partners
- Support our staff who have caring responsibilities
All Care Partners will be identified at point of contact
This means we will:
- Identify any carer partners as part of the admission process
- Ensure we inform you about our Care Partner badges
All Care Partners will be treated as an equal and expert partner
This means we will:
- Respect your role as an expert in the care and support of the person who uses our services
- Respect care partner and patient confidentiality and work with you to overcome barriers to giving support and sharing information
All Care Partners will be listened to
This means we will:
- Listen to what you say and communicate clearly with you
Staff will understand the role of a Care Partner
This means we will:
- Ensure all our staff can identify care partners and recognise their role as expert partners
- Enable our staff to respond quickly and flexibly
- Involve our staff in developing information, support and other services for carers
- Involve carers in training our staff.
Lincolnshire Carers Service
This service is for people across Lincolnshire who look after a relative or friend who due to ill health, physical or mental illness, disability, frailty, or addiction cannot manage without their support. Delivered in partnership by Lincolnshire County Council’s customer service centre and charity Carers FIRST the Lincolnshire carer’s service provides information, advice, guidance, carers assessments, training and activities, giving carers an opportunity to have a break from their caring role and help them to get the support they need.
The Lincolnshire customer service centre is the central point of access for this service:
Telephone: 01522 782224
Email: [email protected]
To find out more about Carers FIRST visit www.carersfirst.org.uk
Young Carers
The Lincolnshire Young Carers Service supports young carers up to the age of 19. Young carers may be helping and supporting a family member or friend due to disability, mental ill-health, illness or substance misuse.
A young carer maybe providing support with:
- cooking, housework and shopping
- physical care, such as helping someone in and out of bed
- personal care, such as assistance with dressing, toileting and administering medication
- managing the family budget
- collecting prescriptions and arranging GP or hospital appointments
- helping with communication
- looking after brothers or sisters
Young carers are often not recognised for the role they take on and the Young Carers Card can help facilitate conversations between children, young people and health professionals.
For more information please contact Lincolnshire Young Carers Service:
Telephone: 01522 553275
Email: [email protected]