Census 2011: 2.1m unpaid carers devote over 20 hours a week to looking after loved ones

One in ten residents of England and Wales – a total of 5.8 million people - devotes at least part of their week to caring for disabled, sick or elderly relatives and loved ones without any expectation of payment.

This is an 11 per cent rise from the 5.2 million unpaid carers recorded in the 2001 census, and comes amid a growing crisis about how elderly social care will be funded in the future as the population continues to get older.

The greatest increase was among those providing over 20 hours a week of care, with the number rising from 1.66 million a decade ago to 2.1 million in 2011.

Full Article on Telegraph

Research shows carers' breaks on the brink

The final instalment in Carer Trust’s research into how primary care trusts (PCTs) have been using Government funding to support breaks for carers has been published today.

We’ve already given MPs and our Network Partners a sneak preview at a special event in Portcullis House, London, last week. More than 100 people were at the reception to hear Thea Stein, Chief Executive of Carers Trust, outline the findings, which have today been released in full, and as an executive summary.

Full Article on Carers Trust

First GP-led clinical commissioning groups approved

The first groups of new GP-led organisations created by the coalition's NHS reforms have been authorised to start work and take control of NHS budgets from April.

The new NHS Commissioning Board has given the green light to a "first wave" of 34 of what will eventually be a total of 211 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), which will replace primary care trusts (PCTs) on 1 April.

From then CCGs will commission healthcare in England instead of the 152 PCTs, which are being abolished.

Full Article on Guardian Society

New guide launched for carers to help people with dementia in pain or distress

The guide ‘How would I know’ has been published by the National Council of Palliative Care as part of the Prime Minister’s Dementia Challenge.

It offers a range of top tips to help carers and health and care professionals identify whether someone with dementia may be in pain or distress. It also gives advice on what may be causing this and a range of possible solutions.

An estimated 21m people in the UK know a close friend or family member with dementia. One in three people aged over 65 will have dementia by the time they die and as life expectancy increases, more and more people will be affected.

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People needed to champion health and social care

Local people are being sought to be the consumer’s champion for health and social care in Wiltshire.

Their role will include shaping services and plans and being an independent voice and advocate for patients and users.

Healthwatch Wiltshire, which will be established next April will be the local voice for key issues that affect people who use health and care services.

Full Article on Gazette & Herald

Wiltshire Singing Sessions

A recent UK report produced by the Campaign to End Loneliness  estimates that over 1 million people over the age of 65 are often or always lonely. The Golden-Oldies charity makes opportunities for lonely people to take part in regular sessions, giving them something to look forward to and the making of new supportive friendships is greatly encouraged.

Goldies, as it has become fondly known, was launched by well-known choir leader Grenville Jones in 2008 initially with four fun singing sessions in and around the Bath area. That number has grown to over 50 sessions across the West including eight new Wiltshire based sessions with Goldies CYMRU also launching in Wales. Sir Cliff Richard is the Patron.

The six sessions started in Trowbridge, Chippenham, Devizes and Melksham in December 2011 have gone from strength to strength and all have regular attendees. The Chippenham and Devizes sessions are two of the most popular sessions that we run across the South West.

More sessions have now started up in Salisbury and Royal Wootton Bassett.

If you're interested in attending a Goldies singing session then click here to download their upcoming dates.

More pain for social care as Osborne cuts extra £445m from councils

Social care is facing deeper cuts after chancellor George Osborne announced he would slash an extra half a billion pounds from local authority budgets in 2014 and extend austerity measures for an additional year until 2018.

In his autumn statement, Osborne said government funding for councils in 2014-15 would be reduced by a further 2% than planned, a move which the Local Government Association dubbed "unsustainable".

"All it does is make the problem worse," warned Association of Directors of Adult Social Services president Sarah Pickup. "We need additional resources, for adult social care in particular."

Full Article on Community Care