This case study looks at how Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust are supporting members of staff with caring responsibilities.
Key area
Childcare and support for carers
Name of organisation
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
The initiative
Extended carer support is an initiative to help staff with caring responsibilities. This can include eldercare and those caring for someone with a disability.
Background
The National Carers Strategy 'Caring about Carers' has emphasised the need to support carers in maintaining contact with the world of work.
The Government's objectives for carers of working age are to encourage and enable them to remain in work and to help those who are unable (or do not want to) combine paid work with caring to return to work when their caring responsibilities cease or diminish.
The business case for the NHS to support carers who are employees through flexible employment practices is well known, and relates to reducing staff turnover and associated costs, lowering absenteeism and sickness and better retention of skilled staff.
Reasons for the initiative
Statistically one in seven people have a caring role at some time in their lives.
Recognising the needs of carers is important as a significant proportion of people in work have a caring responsibility. This applies to the NHS in particular, as people that work in healthcare are often expected to do more than other family members when it comes to caring for a relative.
This means that of approximately 10,000 employees employed by the Worcestershire NHS Trusts, 1,428 employees may be caring for someone whilst trying to juggle their own work-life balance.
People do not decide to become carers, it is a role that is thrust upon them and they are often ill prepared. Balancing their home responsibilities with work at this time may prove difficult, particularly as many carers may be reluctant to identify themselves as carers. In addition, there may also be staff who simply to not think of themselves as carers.
The process
The Trusts are working in partnership with local caring agencies that include the Worcestershire Association of Carers and the Worcestershire Carers Unit.
Employees are signposted to the agencies and can be added to the local carer to receive the latest carer information and initiatives available.
The NHS Staff Support Co-ordinators have been invited to attend the Worcestershire-wide information and publicity strategy meetings as well as linking in to the Worcestershire Commissioning Strategy 'Carers Pathway'.
A Worcestershire NHS Carers Handbook has been developed for all employees as well as carer packs that include information regarding carers emergency cards, carers local support groups and carers GP registration cards.
In addition a newsletter for carers is published internally, providing information regarding carers rights including direct payments, vouchers, sitting service, review of assessments and breaks and respite care.
An 'Employees Guide to being a Carer' is also available. Employees were invited to attend a 'Carer Seminar' to launch the new initiatives and inform future carer network sessions which have since been planned to include information regarding legal issues, financial planning and one-to-one time with a legal expert. Future events are planned, including sessions on work-life balance initiatives and policy updates.
Outcomes
- employees feel better equipped to deal with caring responsibilities through information and support offered
- the trusts have been able to identify the specific caring needs of their staff
- the trusts are able to identify how carer responsibilities and flexible working practices have been able to work together
- raised awareness of carers in general
- sharing of good practice through awareness raising events
- improved joint working regarding the carer agenda through HR and IWL teams, managers and employees.
Evaluation
The initiative is evaluated through recording contact with employees who are carers or who may be carers in the future. This will be through networking events, one-to-one sessions, general information sessions, telephone enquires or email routes. Evaluation forms are completed at awareness raising events.
Details were correct up to the time of publishing. NHS Employers endeavours to check data on a six-monthly basis to ensure the information is correct but cannot guarantee its accuracy.
