This has been completed in partnership with The Carers Strategy Team of ManchesterCity Council.

This Gold Standard Policy has been designed to be used in conjunction with the ManchesterCity Council Toolkit.

Manchester PCT QOF Gold Standard Carers Policy
Practice Management 9
The practice has a protocol for the identification of carers and a mechanism for the referral of carers for social services assessment

BORCHARDT MEDICAL CENTRE

Policy Adopted March 2012

Review Date March 2013

Borchardt Medical Centre

Carers Register Protocol

Introduction and Overview

The National Carers Strategyidentified the National Health Service as being the first and most important point of contact for the majority of carers(The National Carers Strategy,1999). It is therefore vital that GPs play a pivotal role in identifying increased numbers of the ‘hidden carers’ who continue to fall through the system.

There are currently an estimated 60,000 carers in Manchester (Manchester Carers Strategy 2008-2011), of which the majority are unknown to Social Services or their local GP with an estimated 1 in 10 patients in a practice undertaking caring responsibilities, which may have an adverse affect on their health and well-being (Best Practice, Better Practices – A New Deal for Carers In Primary Care 2006).

Guidance

The practice should have a procedure for how carers are identified and a referral protocol to social services for assessment of carers support needs or to other local support such as carers centres.

A carer is identified as, someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a relative, friend or neighbour, who could not manage to stay at home without their help due to age, sickness, addiction or disability.

The practice should remember to include any young carers who are particularly vulnerable

Further information:

  • Focus on Carers and the NHS-identifying and supporting hidden carers. Good Practices Guide
  • BMA Guidance on Working with Carers
  • NHS Carers Information Strategies guidance – HDL22 (2006) (sections 3.3 and 3.10)

(Quality and Outcomes Framework guidance for GMS Contract 2008/09)

Methodology For Identifying Carers

Identifying a Carer will enable them to receive information, advice, support and training which may include financial assistance.

Borchardt Medical Practice has a Carers Register. This enables the GP’s to identify who is a carer and consider their needs. We use Read Codes to identify patients who are carers. This enables the practice to pass carers’ details on to other agencies and professionals, such as hospitals, which might be able to prioritise and adapt assistance or services given to carers.

Self Identification

The Practice displays a poster on existing notice boards asking carers to let the practice know about their caring responsibilities.

The New Patient Questionnaire all patients fill in asks the question ‘Are you a carer’ or ‘do you have someone who cares for you’ and asks the patient to provide details.

The Practice website has a dedicated section on carers and also a form that can be submitted online to reception informing the practice of their care arrangements or caring responsibilities.

Mechanism For Referral

There are a large number of groups in the city that provide varying types of support for carers of all ages and backgrounds. Manchester City Council funds over 50 of these groups, and a list of these services can be found in the Carers Information Booklet (please call 0161 234 4259 for copies)

Carers will be informed of support groups in their area and any training opportunities that could help them manage their caring role better, such as how to use certain pieces of equipment, and how to lift or move the person they care for in a way that will not put their health at risk.

If a patient has a carer and they attend the surgery for an appointment then the carer will be offered a health examination at the same time. Similarly, if making a home visit to a patient, this is an ideal opportunity to check on the health and well being of their carer.

Borchardt Medical Practice also offers annual flu jabs for all carers.

The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 already makes it a duty of local authorities to offer eligible carers an Assessment of their needs. Borchardt Medical Practice will refer all carers who would like an assessment.

To refer a patient for Carers Assessment, please contact Manchester City Council’s Contact Centre on 0161 255 8250. Please note that this is for residents of the Manchester City Council area only – external residents will need to be referred to their local authority. It may therefore be necessary to contact local services outside the Manchester area, especially for practices residing near boundaries, as a change in practice process may have an effect on their workload i.e. increased number of referrals/queries

As the role of a Carer is most likely to change with time, it has been recommended by Social Services for a Carer to be re-assessed at least once every 12 months.

Practice Carer Lead

It is important to identify a Lead Person within the practice to co-ordinate and undertake the work of maintaining and monitoring the Caring protocol.

It is the responsibility of all staff to maintain this Policy and in Particular the Reception Management team.

Acknowledging A Carers Status

Once a Carer has been identified, it is then necessary to document this information accordingly and create a dedicated dynamic Carers Register. This would enable GPs to identify who a Carer is and take into account their unique and individual needs. This information may then be passed over (consent must be provided by patient/carer) to other agencies and professionals i.e. hospitals etc.

Borchardt Medical Practice will ask Patients to complete a consent form (held in reception) which will enable the carer authorisation and access to confidential information on the said patients(s). This will then be read codes appropriately on the patients notes.

The carer will then be asked to complete a consent form and this information will be added to the practices Carer Register and/or passed over to Manchester City Council’s Carers Strategy Team to provide further information on services available.

Supporting A Carer

Borchardt Medical Practice will allocate carers double appointments, will allow appointments for carers outside normal surgery hours and will endeavour to telephone carers with an appointment to inform them if the surgery is running late. We recognise the importance of flexibility for all carers especially for young carers attending school.

It may also be difficult for carers to collect prescriptions for either themselves or, most likely, the person they care for so carers will be allowed to order repeat prescriptions over the telephone and will be offered delivery services from their local pharmacy.

We will also offer the carer and the care-for a private room in which they can wait to be seen if they require it.

We will also make space available for a ‘Carer Information Point’ – where carers’ information can be displayed separately. This will include a range of literature, posters, support groups and self referral forms.

Publicising Service

Borchardt Medical Practice will publicise all the information to carers via the ‘Carer Information Point’ which will be kept up to date monthly by the Carers Lead.

Under Age Carers

Under age carers will be identified by Health Visitors/School nurses/Discharge summaries/Self referrals and will be referred as appropriate.

Monitoring Effectiveness

Borchardt Medical Practice will review annually their carers register offering annual reviews to all carers who would like one.

Template of

Carers’ Self-Referral Form

(this form is intended as a guide only. Your practice may wish to create its own self-referral form for Carers).

Please tick where applicable
Yes, I am a carer
I am a patient of this practice
I am not a patient of this practice but I do care for a person registered here. The name of the person I care for is…………………………………………………………………………………….
Please add my name to your Carers Register so that the practice is aware that I am a carer
Please pass on my contact details to Manchester City Council’s Carers Strategy Team for further information about services and support for carers in Manchester

Contact Details

Name:
Address:
Telephone:

Once completed, please hand this form to the Receptionist who will add your details to the practice Carers Register.

For further information please contact the Carers Strategy Team at Manchester City Council on 0161 234 3938.

QOF Practice Management 9 – Gold Standard Final Version

1st October 2008

Supporting Information

Organisation / For / Website / Email address / Telephone number
ManchesterCity Council (MCC) Carers Strategy Team / All queries regarding Carers. Carers Information Booklet.
Training/support/guidance to practice staff.
Literature /
/ 0161 234 4259
The Princes Royal Trust for Carers / Focus on Carers and the NHS – identifying and supporting hidden carers. Good Practice Guide / / 0161 835 4090 (Manchester Carers Centre Carers Line)
BMA / BMA Guidance on Working with Carers /
NHS / NHS Carers Information Strategies Guidance – HDL22 (2006) (sections 3.3 and 3.10 /
MCC Contact Centre / Carers Assessment / 0161 255 8250
Carers UK / Various information / / / 0808 808 7777
PALS / Patient advice / 0161 214 9493
Appropriate/suggestive Read Codes
918A / Carer
918G / Is a carer
918F / Has a carer
918H / Primary Carer
918V / Does not have a carer
918f / Is no longer a carer
918c / Carer of a person with chronic disease
918m / Carer of a person with a terminal illness
918W / Carer of a person with learning disability
918X / Carer of a person with physical disability
918d / Carer of a person with mental health problems
918y / Carer of a person with sensory impairment
918a / Carer of a person with substance misuse
918b / Carer of a person with alcohol misuse
918g / Parent is informal carer
918h / Child is informal carer
918i / Relative is informal carer
918j / Partner is informal carer
918k / Friend is informal carer
918l / No longer has a carer
3892 / Assessment of needs of carer completed
671E / Discussed with Carer
807 / Carer Support
9180 / Carer Details
918E / Is A Carer

QOF Practice Management 9 – Gold Standard Final Version

1st October 2008

References

  1. National Carers Strategy, 1999
  1. Manchester Carers and Commissioning Strategy 2008 - 2011 (Carers Strategy Team, Manchester City Council, 2008)
  1. Best Practice, Better Practices – A new Deal For Carers In Primary Care ( Malcolm Clarke & Stuart Riley for The Princess Royal Trust for Carers , 2006)
  1. Quality and Outcomes Framework Guidance for GMS Contract 2008/09. Delivering Investment in General Practice. Changes to the GMS Contract 2008/09 (NHS Employers June 2008)

QOF Practice Management 9 – Gold Standard Final Version

1st October 2008