INFO: Wiltshire Citizen's Advice Carers Project

If you are in need of help and advice regarding:

• Welfare benefits
• Debt
• Budgeting

Then you can get in touch with a new service hosted especially for carers which is being run by Wiltshire CAB.

They will advise a carer on any of the above and will also ensure that the person they care for has all their entitlements and will undertake benefits checks.They can also help with tribunals but do not deal with employment law. 

All you have to do is make an appointment by calling 01249 454733 or email
carersproject@cabwiltshire.org.uk

If no one is available to take your call then please leave a message on their voicemail and they will aim to get back to you within 2-3 working days.

Appointments can be made to meet an advisor at your nearest CAB centre, your own home or at another location of your choice.

This service is completely FREE for carers in Wiltshire. 

EVENT: Charity Bingo Night!

Wiltshire's Clinical Commissioning Group is 100 days old

Last week the National Health Service celebrated its sixty-fifth birthday – a distinctly wobbly anniversary. This week Wiltshire’s GP-led Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG - which replaced the Primary Care Trust - PCT) is a hundred days young.

It is, of course, far too early to attempt a report on the CCG’s progress. As a commentator said recently, changing anything in the NHS is like turning round the proverbial super tanker.

However work is going ahead in Wiltshire CCG with some speed. One advance being rolled out across the county is a programme to speed up dementia diagnosis.  Improvements in the care of those with dementia is a much more complex and wide-reaching problem.

Full Article on Marlborough News Online

Carers facing debt and eviction because of bedroom tax - study

Families caring for loved ones with cancer, or looking after a severely disabled child, are facing debt and eviction as a result of the bedroom tax, says a study.

Although ministers promised financial support to help vulnerable carers and disabled social housing tenants affected, the cash aid available is inadequate to meet demand and being heavily rationed, according to the charity Carers UK.

As few as one in 10 carers are qualifying for ongoing support from the £25m discretionary payments fund set up by the government to help disabled tenants affected by the bedroom tax.

Full Article on Guardian Society

GPs 'should take control of personal health budgets'

GP practices should be put in charge of administering direct payments to patients as part of the personal health budget scheme, a leading think-tank has recommended in a report launched by the care minister overseeing the initiative.

Under proposals suggested by 2020health, which were launched today by health minister Norman Lamb, GPs would be subcontracted by CCGs in certain cases to make ‘small discretionary payments’ to patients as part of the personal health budget scheme, with the practices taking responsibility for the administration of the budgets. In the pilot, the GP role was limited to making referrals and recommendations.

The authors, who looked at the DH’s analysis of the pilot results published last year as well as at data stemming directly from the pilot areas, came out strongly in support of personal budgets for mental health patients and those requiring continuing care. They also said it should in future be rolled out for arthritic patients, for haemodialysis transport and falls prevention.

Full Article on Pulse Today

Carers Voice re-launches today!

Carers’ Voice is to be re-launched today to give carers the opportunity to have their say on services that can help them and the person they care for.

The Carers’ Voice survey is a research tool managed by Wiltshire Council in partnership with Carer Support Wiltshire and NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Groups, who are committed to involving carers in planning and making recommendations about services.

A Carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, partner, friend or neighbour who can’t manage on their own because of physical or mental ill health, disability or problems with drug and alcohol use.

The theme of this edition of the Carers’ Voice survey is “Time for yourself” and is mainly addressing respite and breaks. We would like to invite carers to complete this online using the Wiltshire Council web-link:  http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/2013-carers-voice-summer.htm

 

Those without computer access can request a paper copy from Carer Support Wiltshire who will then enter the survey on your behalf. 

We would welcome input from any carer aged 18 and over who is caring for an adult or child with physical and/or learning disabilities, mental health needs, or problems with substance misuse. All information is held securely and will not be passed to anyone else or used for marketing or other purposes.

All carers registered with Carer Support Wiltshire will automatically be asked whether they would like to participate, but if you are a carer who is not registered with Carer Support Wiltshire, please do make contact on 0800 181 4118, or email: admin@carersinwiltshire.co.uk or via our website: www.carersinwiltshire.co.uk.

The closing date for survey submissions is 30 September 2013.