Early campaigning, as the Act made its way through Parliament, secured two important changes for carers. The first secured recognition for carers’ rights to assessments and services before their cared-for is discharged from hospital. The second ensured that carers would receive the same intermediate care services for free, as older or disabled people.

Part 1 of the Act will come into effect this October, meaning that carers’ new rights will be implemented alongside the process of serving notices of discharge. However, NHS Trusts will not start charging local authorities for delayed discharge until 1 January 2004. The Government are giving local authorities £50 million in the run up to the implementation, to help them ensure that Social Services will be in a position to cope with the changes (Devon £723,000; Torbay £168,000).

The courses run from Tuesday 11am to Thursday 1pm. If you have lived in the UK for 3 years and have not received any previous grant for higher education, then the tuition, accommodation and meals are all free (there is a £10 enrolment fee). The College will pay up to £35 towards travel costs, and will even provide transport if 15 carers in the same area want to attend. The next course is 9-11 September.

If so, then read on…

South Devon Carers Consortium is calling together carers from across South Devon for a one-off meeting with representatives from the local NHS services. They want to hear from carers how the NHS can improve the way it hears from you about your local health services.

The meeting will take place in Ashburton, on the afternoon of 23 July, starting with a free buffet lunch. Help with arranging transport or paying for replacement care is on offer. Numbers are strictly limited, and we hope that the carers who will attend will care for a range of illnesses or disabilities, be of a mixed age range, and live in different places across South Devon.

- There are 5.2 million carers in England and Wales

- One in ten of the population are carers

- 68% of carers care for up to 19 hours a week

- 11% care for 20-49 hours a week

- 21% (1.09 million) care for more than 50 hours a week

- Wales has a higher proportion of carers than any English region

- In England, the North East has the highest proportion of carers (11%) followed by the North West (10.8%)

- London has the lowest proportion (8.5%)

The General Household Survey (2000) indicated that there were 6.8 million adult carers (16% of the adult population). This is higher than the Census figure, possibly for the following reasons:

Some carers may need to make a claim for Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP), and there are new time limits for doing this. From April, claims for HRP need to be made within 3 years of the end of the tax year in which the caring took place.

The new GP contract (currently under negotiation) could give a boost to those working on identifying carers in Doctor’s Surgeries. If accepted by GP’s, they would be awarded 3 points on a quality scale if the “practice has a protocol for the identification of carers and a mechanism for the referral of carers for social services assessment”.

GP’s have previously voted against accepting the contract in its various formats, as they have been concerned that their income would suffer as a result, possibly leading to the closure of practices.

The Warm Front Team is a Government-funded initiative to provide grants of up to £2,500 to make homes warmer, healthier to live in, and more energy efficient. This can be for insulation, draught proofing, heaters, timer controls, low-energy light bulbs, and more. To be eligible for a grant, you must be on certain benefits (eg Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, etc).

Carers Week this year saw the launch of Devon’s new Carers Information Pack. This will be freely available to any carer living within the boundary of Devon County Council. The pack contains general information and advice covering topics such as Having your Say, Taking a Break, Direct Payments and Benefits.

If so, then we need your help! We are holding a special meeting for carers in your situation, who live in the South Hams and West Devon area. Social Services and the Primary Care Trust are undertaking a review of the services available (or not!) to people in this group, and we have agreed to call a meeting of carers, so that officers can listen to your views.

This is a combined regular meeting of the South Hams and West Devon Carers Planning Groups, but with an exclusive emphasis on carers of this age range and experience.

Young carers from the Tavistock area are on tour around the South Hams and West Devon area with a play written about the roles young carers play in their families. The play was written by young carers who attend the Youthwise Young Carers Project in Tavistock, and is being performed by eight of them.

“Glass Slippers is a play about us, about our experiences and problems that we face at home and at school”, says Susan, aged 16. “For us there is no time for social life because we are caring day in day out for those we love so much. As a young carer you have to cope with school and work at home, but strive to give the impression that everything’s OK”.

SeeAbility (formerly the Royal School for the Blind), is a national charity that has been providing services for people with visual impairments for 200 years, operating a range of services throughout the south of England.

They have launched a 2-year project aimed at providing positive short-break experiences for young people (aged 16-22) with a visual impairment and a learning disability. SeeAbility will carry out an assessment of the young person to find out what their goals are. Enablers are trained, police-checked, and well-supported.

Once a young person has been accepted onto the scheme, they will be able to use it to best suit their needs. This means that the break can take place wherever and whenever they feel they need it, in negotiation with the enablers. There will be allocated number of hours which can be used each month.

A further 3 have opened in Doctor’s Surgeries in Dartmouth, Salcombe and Chillington. The aim is to provide easier access to their service in a predominantly rural community.

Carers Week this year saw the launch of Devon’s new Carers Information Pack. This will be freely available to any carer living within the boundary of Devon County Council. The pack contains general information and advice covering topics such as Having your Say, Taking a Break, Direct Payments and Benefits.

If so, then we need your help! We are holding a special meeting for carers in your situation, who live in Teignbridge. Social Services and the Primary Care Trust are undertaking a review of the services available (or not!) to people in this group, and we have agreed to call a meeting of carers, so that officers can listen to your views.

This is a regular meeting of the Teignbridge Carers Action Group, but with an exclusive emphasis on carers of this age range and experience.

SeeAbility (formerly the Royal School for the Blind), is a national charity that has been providing services for people with visual impairments for 200 years, operating a range of services throughout the south of England.

They have launched a 2-year project aimed at providing positive short-break experiences for young people (aged 16-22) with a visual impairment and a learning disability. SeeAbility will carry out an assessment of the young person to find out what their goals are. Enablers are trained, police-checked, and well-supported.

Once a young person has been accepted onto the scheme, they will be able to use it to best suit their needs. This means that the break can take place wherever and whenever they feel they need it, in negotiation with the enablers. There will be allocated number of hours which can be used each month.

The Citizens Advice Bureau has received further funding to maintain and improve their existing outreach services at Moretonhampstead, Ashburton, Buckland and Buckfastleigh. They also hope to set up new outreaches in other areas of need and deprivation, focusing on Kingsway in Teignmouth and Buckland in Newton Abbot. New outreaches have been set up at Kingsway Meadow Centre in Teignmouth, and Westbank League of Friends in Exminster. Another is planned for Chudleigh in June.

The main priority is to enable rural communities to access advice on a par with any other group, using as many media as possible (including the internet).

Torquay Carers Support Group meets monthly on Mondays (2.30-4.00pm) at Croft Hall Medical Practice. Contact Barbara on 605359

11 August - Cream tea party

1 September - Open discussion

The alarm provides a voice link between home and trained staff at Torbay Council's Alarm Centre. The system operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is effective even if the user is well away form their telephone when help is required.

To have an alarm fitted you’ll need a modern BT approved phone point and 13 amp power socket, but the service can assist in getting necessary work carried out. The alarm unit comes with a body-worn radio trigger and instructions. Disabled persons can claim relief from VAT off the cost of installation.

The Carers Support Workers role is to “care for the carers” by identifying carers, providing information and support and raising awareness of the needs of unpaid family carers.

For the past three years, several GPs have employed Carers Support Workers as part of their practice team. Research on the impact of their work has shown that there have been significant benefits in reducing carers’ stress levels, as well as other improvements to carers’ health.

Laura is stepping down as carer representative on the Learning Disability Partnership Board and its sub-groups on Housing and Person-Centred Planning. Alongside fellow rep Charles, Laura has helped build a strong profile for carers and drawn attention to many issues of concern to carers.