Focused discussion

How can volunteers support carers

5 November 2024

Conversation highlights, tips and recommendations from network members who attended this discussion.

“People often don’t recognise themselves as Carers and are unaware of the support that is available to them”

“A lot of people do not see themselves as a carer so simply changing the language and asking the right questions can gain a better understanding of their situation.”

Volunteer Roles

“Our volunteers work with Carers to empower them to be able to speak out before discharge and not take on care they can't manage and not feel guilty about saying no, so we can reduce revolving door patients.”

• Volunteers who visit people in their homes can focus on assisting the Carer.
• Volunteers supporting coffee morning groups and pop-up cafes so that Carers can pop in for a coffee and a chat as well as giving each other peer support.
• Check in and Chat volunteers. Calling Carers once a week for 8-weeks. Includes signposting them to other services that could be beneficial.
• Volunteers handing out leaflets to Carers and Patients in a foyer making them aware of the support that is available to them and how to sign up for a Carers Assessment.
• Volunteers talk to family members who are visiting a patient about their caring responsibilities. One organisation helps Carers to complete their Carers Passport Referral application. The Carers passport is recognised across the county and will give the Carer discounts for parking (£1 with a card at the Cancer Centre), hospital cafes and pharmacies.
• In-Reach volunteers create a list of the families that they miss seeing on site so that they can call them on the phone when it is convenient to discuss what is available and complete their referral.
• One organisation found that Carers are prone to self-discharge, so they have Companionship and Befriending volunteers who make sure that Carers who find themselves admitted to hospital focus on their recovery.
• Volunteer role description shared. Telephone caller for carers of service users

“One Carer highlighted that her and her son didn’t get any time to themselves. They were directed to a local cookery course run by a volunteer service and now go for one hour a week.”

A selection of volunteer befriending and telephone role descriptions can be found in the Volunteer Role Library.

Keeping in contact with Carers

This is often a difficult group to connect to. Some Trusts can tap into their management system (for example Better Impact) to send out targeted emails. Organisations that are spread over a large area often have Carer Champions to guide and support people in their area.

Carers can register with a Carers Hub in their area. One example is in Walsall and Devon. They have a recognised carers passport scheme which is available free of charge to unpaid adult carers of adults in the Devon County Council area. DEVON CARERS PASSPORT CARD

Funding

“Every carer is entitled to an assessment”

Funding for this area of work can be difficult to secure internally, and many are looking at external organisations.

Here are a few recommendations from Network Members:

• Approach your local council and Carer Hubs.
• Local businesses often have grants available. When writing to businesses it is worth adding that they probably have carers working in their business that they may not be aware of.
• Ask your hospital charity to launch a fund-raising appeal.
• There are charities, for example The Lions Club, who raise funds for local causes and may be able to help you purchase equipment, for example, mobile phones for a befriending service, equipment for pop-up cafes.
• Do your own fundraising activity.

Campaigns to identify and assist carers

One of our guests was a carer herself and is now involved in a number of organisations in her area.

• Motor Neuron Disease Association have a big campaign about identifying and registering carers. This has been taken to Parliament, and they are talking to MPs.
• Support MND Carers.
• Action for Carers Northwest Surrey Alliance

There are approximately 30,000 unpaid carers in Northwest Surrey alone. Carers are often too exhausted to find out what assistance is available to them and remain unaware of their right and how they can be supported.

How do you train your volunteers?

• A half-day training course which includes basic NHS Governance, confidentiality and listening skills. Developed by a well-being college.
• Well-being and clinical teams are looking at a holistic approach that includes enhanced training with volunteers.

Do the volunteers document the conversations?

• Volunteers provide a document within 24 hours of a call which is uploaded onto their system. If there are any issues they can then be escalated.

Further reading:

• Kings Fund article: What are unpaid carers, who are they and how often do they provide care?
• Carers Week Report 2024
• Darzi Report 2024
• REPORT: Young carers are missing 23 days of school every year