New approach announced by North Yorkshire Council to ensure that help is available for carers

North Yorkshire Council is marking national Carers Rights Day this week Thursday, November 23 by launching a new approach to carers assessments.

Any adult who provides regular unpaid care for someone is entitled to a carer’s assessment – it does not matter how much or what sort of care they provide.

The authority’s Living Well team will take time to listen to any carer who might want to talk about the care that they give to a loved one; how that affects their life; and what support they might need.

A recent Carers UK national survey on the impact of caring on health shows that more than three quarters (79 per cent) of carers feel stressed or anxious, half of carers (49 per cent) feel depressed, and half of carers (50 per cent) feel lonely.

Living Well has been in place in North Yorkshire since 2015, supporting thousands of people to remain healthy, independent and connected in their own homes.

The team is well placed to be able to have good conversations with carers and link them to support from local groups to help them improve their own health and wellbeing and continue caring for the people that they love.

The council works with local carers organisations Carers Plus and Carers Resource to make sure that carers are aware of their rights and get the support they need.

For more details, visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/adult-care/carers/carer-support-groups-and-organisations.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for health and adult services, Cllr Michael Harrison, said: “We are actively supporting Carers Rights Day to help draw attention to the wide-ranging assistance carers can call on.

“It is a priority for us to make sure carers get the help they need and today is a good opportunity to both shine a light on the role they perform in society and to ensure they have easy access to the support which can help them continue in that role.

“Taking the time to investigate the options may provide carers with practical help and also financial assistance in some circumstances. The council’s Living Well coordinators are well placed with local knowledge and experience to ensure that carers can find support in their local community.”

To find out more about a carer’s assessment, go to www.northyorks.gov.uk/adult-care/carers/carer-assessment.