Looking after someone (carers)

If you provide regular unpaid support to a partner, relative or friend who is unable to live independently without your help, then you are a carer. A carer is a person of any age, adult or child.

The person you care for may need your help due to frailty, disability or serious health condition, mental ill health or substance misuse. You are not considered to be a carer if you are a paid professional care worker or personal assistant or a volunteer.

In Barnet, we value carers and recognise the vital role carers play in the health and social care system by caring for vulnerable people.

Being identified as a carer can help you get the right support you need to look after the person you care for.

You can identify yourself as a carer at your GP practice, to get the right support you need to look after the person you care for.

Barnet Carers Centre

In Barnet support for carers is provided through the Barnet Carers Centre. The carers centre has been providing significant support to carers in the borough for a number of years and is well established locally, and is highly regarded by the carers that use its services.

Barnet Carers Centre is also well established on a number of partnership boards and local voluntary sector networks.

Barnet Carers Centre is now the lead provider for carers support services in Barnet. It works along side a number of local organisations who make up the carers hub.

The six other members of Barnet Carers Hub are:

• Age UK Barnet (West)
• Alzheimer’s Society (West)
• Barnet Mencap  (South)
• Jewish Care   (South)
• Caring4Carers 
• Friend in Need  (North)

Working with the Hub means that support is now geographically more accessible by being available to carers in locations closer to their home and work place. All services continue to be provided from the Carers Centre.

The hub locations are also used to provide training, information sessions and social events arranged for groups of carers.

Carers support services are also being offered at mainstream locations around the borough such as libraries; GP surgeries and community centres.

Saturday Morning Support

Support is also available by appointment at weekends on one Saturday morning a month (10 am to noon) at the Carers Centre.

The carers hub provides a range of services including:

carers needs assessments and assessments for preventative carers breaks

• identifying hidden carers and undertaking Outreach Support
• carers training and awareness programmes
• rapid response service for carers in crises
• support groups and peer support.

New Services

Hospital Discharge Servcice for Carers

A hospital Discharge co-ordinator for carers works at Barnet General Hospital , Finchley Memeorial Hospital and Edgwre Community Hospital to support carers through the discharge process.

Carers’ Short Breaks

These are available for all carers who are over 16 and meet the breaks criteria working or living in Barnet or caring or somebody in Barnet.

Health breaks

GP or other health care professionals can prescribe health breaks for carers. Carers can take these to Barnet Carers Centre to receive a direct payment for a suitable break which meets their particular circumstances.

Barnet Carers Strategy 

The Barnet Carers Strategy 2009-12 was developed by Barnet Council in partnership with NHS Barnet and the Carers Strategy Group. It provides a planned and consistent approach in the development of services for carers in Barnet. The Barnet Carers Strategy Refresh 2012-13 document refreshes the previous strategy. It provides an update on the national and local policy changes, carer’s needs and key achievements since the carers strategy was produced. It also outlines the future commissioning intentions and investment plans for carers.