Carers UK and the six charities supporting Carers Week 2023 joined the Minister for Social Care, Helen Whately MP, for a roundtable discussion on 11th May 2023 to launch the countdown to Carers Week 2023.
The group explored ways to increase recognition and support for unpaid carers ahead of Carers Week, which is taking place from 5th-11th June 2023. This year’s theme is, ‘Recognising and Supporting Carers in the Community.’
The event highlighted key opportunities to identify unpaid carers and connect them with the appropriate support, as well as ways to support family members to identify their caring role. The wide-ranging discussion also looked at the Department for Health and Social Care’s White paper, ‘People at the Heart of Care’, and how a cross-departmental working group focusing on supporting unpaid carers could help carers with the various challenges they face.
The group heard from Margaret, a carer based in Lambeth, who looks after her 91-year-old mother after she had a stroke, and her 33-year-old daughter who has learning disabilities and complex needs. Margaret provides round the clock care for her family, and emphasised the need for carers to be able to rely on services so that they can get vital breaks and recharge. She also noted how important it was that GPs and medical professionals understand unpaid carers’ needs.
Organised by Carers UK, the event also included senior representatives from Age UK, Carers Trust, the Motor Neurone Disease Association, Oxfam GB, Rethink Mental Illness, and The Lewy Body Society.
Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:
“I thank the Minister for attending our roundtable event and launching our Carers Week countdown, as well as to Margaret for sharing her caring experience. We’ve had an important discussion and are all too aware that many carers can miss out on crucial support when they do not identify their caring role.
“Carers Week is a valuable opportunity for all of us to reach out to the unpaid carers we know and connect them with support.”
Helen Whately MP, Minister for Social Care, said:
“I’m proud to team up with the charities behind this year’s Carers Week to help spread the message far and wide.
“Unpaid carers like Margaret go above and beyond every day for the people they care for. I want to make sure we truly understand what carers most want, and the best people to tell us are carers themselves.
“We’ve made real progress on carers’ recognition, and CQC assurance of local councils’ care act duties is an important step forwards. But there’s more to do – together with Carers UK and other charities – to make sure carers get the recognition and support they deserve.”
Carers Week is an annual awareness campaign which takes place each year to recognise the vital contribution made by the millions of unpaid carers in the UK. It is also a time of intensive local activity with hundreds of activities and events planned for carers across the UK. To find out more and discover ways to get involved this June, visit www.carersweek.org