Shropshire Council

Carer assessment

A carer's assessment is an opportunity for you to speak to someone about your caring role and the impact it has on your life. It is not a test to see how well you are caring, but a conversation to identify what support may assist you to maintain your own health and wellbeing.

It will consider the impact providing necessary care and support has on you and includes important aspects such as:

  • Whether you're able and willing to carry on caring
  • Whether you're currently working or want to work in future
  • Whether you want to study or socialise more
  • What can you do to remain well

There are various organisations which can support you in this and you should ensure that you have regular health check-ups and try to stay fit and active and remain independent.

What can carers expect from a Carer Assessment?

  • A frank and open discussion, without judgement, with a Social Care Practitioner (SCP) on what impact caring is having on your life and the support, information and advice you may need to assist you to maintain your own health and wellbeing.
  • Following the discussion you may be connected to other organisations or statutory bodies who are better able to provide the information you require or long term support for you.
  • Information will be given on activities in your local area that may be helpful or of interest to you.
  • Information may be given on appropriate technology enabled care i.e. “Any form of technology that helps us with daily living as we get older or if we have a disability”
  • If appropriate, the SCP may apply for a Direct Payment for you to meet identified needs that arise from providing necessary care in your caring role.

What support is available for carers?

Carers are entitled to receive information and advice to support them in their caring role and to request a carer assessment to receive supportive information and help to identify whether they have any eligible needs.

Shropshire Council Let’s Talk Local (LTL) Hub appointments

These provide an opportunity for you to have a discussion with a Social Care Practitioner (SCP); to chat about your caring role and find support to maintain your wellbeing.

For those who are unable to attend a LTL hub a telephone appointment with a SCP can be arranged for a pre-agreed time.

Shropshire Carers

Shropshire Carers is a dedicated carer support team within Shropshire Council, providing information, advice and support to carers over the age of 18 years old. Our vision is to enable carers to live their best lives by providing timely and quality information and support.

The service offers carers:

  • 1:1 support - this includes emotional support, information and advice. We work with you to explore the options available to you as a carer
  • information and advice – personalised for carers.
  • Support line operating Mon-Fri – 9am till 5pm
  • Signposting or referral to specialist advice and support – eg benefits advice, advocacy
  • Regular check in and chats to check on your wellbeing
  • Assistance with planning ahead
  • Peer support groups – virtual and in the community
  • Training workshops
  • Events and activities
  • Carer register – a means of sharing important information quickly to carers by a method that suits them best. With enrolment to the register carers also receive a carer ID/emergency card, emergency plan and free five-part email course delivered by Mobilise.

Carers can self-refer or referrals are made via statutory, voluntary and community sector organisations.

Contact Shropshire Carers support line on 01743 341995 (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm) or email: Shropshire.Carers@shropshire.gov.uk

Mobilise Shropshire

Mobilise Shropshire, an online carer support service, is working with us to provide a range of free online services to support carers, in addition to what is already on offer in Shropshire.

Mobilise toolkit of resources includes signing up for a daily or weekly e-support package; a five-part email course designed to help unpaid carers; virtual cuppa’s; private face book community; 1 to 1 chat; coaching; lockdown weekly planner as well as up to date information on other support for carers. Take a look and see how Mobilise can support you. Mobilise Shropshire is accessible on low speed (dial up) internet connections.

In an emergency

Carers in an emergency situation that affects their caring responsibilities are advised to contact Shropshire Council’s First Point of Contact – 03456 789044 during office hours and the Emergency Duty Team - 03456 789040 for emergencies out of office hours. Shropshire Council will use the resources we have already in place to offer appropriate support, doing everything we can to ensure people can stay safe and well at home.

Integrated Community Services (ICS)

ICS support carers at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and some community hospitals. Hospital admissions can be a stressful and worrying time for the whole family. Many family carers begin their caring role following a hospital stay or find the way they support a loved one will need to change or increase. Knowing who to talk with or where to start to look for support can be daunting and overwhelming, especially in the busy environment of a hospital when a loved one is unwell. A Let’s Talk Local hub is held in Royal Shrewsbury hospital (RSH) every Friday afternoon from 2pm till 4:30pm by the chapel on the 2nd floor of RSH.

Carers can drop in to obtain information, advice and signposting to support services for family carers throughout Shropshire. Carers also have the opportunity to meet Cathy Ritchie or Michele Lee during the day in RSH when their loved one is a patient at RSH, either on the ward or in other venues in the hospital. Contact details are:

Cathy Ritchie – 01743 257897

Michele Lee – 01743 250577

Or email cathy.ritchie@shropshire.gov.uk

Community Directories

Shropshire Choices hold information on organisations in local areas about groups and activities to support Carers’ own health and wellbeing.

Funded support for carers

Carers are eligible for funded support in their own right and, following a Carer Assessment, may be offered a Carers Direct Payment award. This is only accessible from a Carers Assessment, which is separate to the assessment of the person cared for. More information on the national eligibility threshold for carers can be found in the Care and Support (Eligibility Criteria) Regulations 2014 or find out more by attending a Let’s Talk Local session or by contacting our First Point of Contact (FPOC) service.