Support for Unpaid Carers

Support for Unpaid Carers Image

Funding of up to £2.15m has been made available by the Integration Joint Board of the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership to help provide support to unpaid carers, in recognition of the important role they play in looking after those close to them. 

This additional money from the Scottish Government is to support carers’ health and wellbeing, making caring more sustainable across the city and will support the implementation of the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016. 

In addition to previously committed expenditure, further investment will be made in the following areas: 

  • £250,000 to improve the identification of carers and increase provision to support them 
  • £484,000 will be spent on funded respite places for carers 
  • £23,000, to support Digital Content officer post with the Corner – to allow this post to continue and to be expanded to cover wider remit 
  • £20,000 has been committed to run an awareness campaign which aims to increase carer identification, knowledge of supports available, promote short breaks and self-directed support. 

Chair of the Dundee Integration Joint Board, Councillor Ken Lynn said: “Unpaid Carers play a huge role in society and the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership are committed to improving their lives.

“We know that far too many people are carrying out caring roles and not getting the help and support they need. That is why a significant proportion of this extra funding will be to aim to address that.

“The Carer’s Partnership have recently launched an ad campaign that seeks to help identify people who don’t realise they are carers and encourage them to come forward to get the services available to them. 

“This report commits to spending a significant amount of money on improving access to respite care. Throughout the pandemic this was something that was sorely missed by carers and it’s right that we take this opportunity to give carers the break they richly deserve. 

“I hope this money goes a long to way towards making Dundee a better place to care and in the meantime, I would encourage anyone who caring to reach out and get support.” 

Carer Representative on the IJB Martyn Sloan said: “It's fantastic to see investment in the essential respite for carers and the important function of identifying carers as we know there are too many carers out there who don't identify as carers. 

“It's important for carers to be engaged in what they get from health and social services, and with the changes coming down the line it's now more important for them to be involved and this funding should help with that." 

Further information for carers is available here

The IJB met on Wednesday 22nd June and approved the revised Carers (Scotland) 2016 Act Investment Plan 2022-2023 and issued directions set out in the report.

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