Information for carers

You may not see yourself as a carer in the formal sense if the person you are caring for is a partner, relative or friend. However, if you look after someone with a health problem, you may be entitled to help and support.

If you are over 18, you can ask for a Carer’s Needs Assessment from your local authority. If you are under 18, you can be assessed for help by the local authority if the person you care for has already had an assessment.

A carer’s passport enables carers to be recognised and feel welcome when visiting their loved one in hospital. The passport allows a carer to:

• Agree with staff about what care they want to assist with
• Allow carers to have regular drinks on the ward drink round
• Use rest facilities where/when available
• Open visiting as agreed with ward staff
• Reduced parking fees after 7 days
• Space to relax – some wards have rest areas for relatives or access to Z beds where available

A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support.

How do I get a carer’s passport?

When you arrive on the ward, let a member of nursing staff know you are the carer for your loved one. A member of staff will have a conversation with you and complete a carer’s plan with yourself and your loved one. Once consent and the care plan is completed, a carer’s passport is issued.

You can download a copy of the carer’s passport on this link.

It outlines the health and social care support that will be provided to the person you look after, and includes the details of any community support, how often this needs to be provided, who will be responsible for care and how to contact them.

It is very important that the views of the patient’s carer are taken into account, including whether you are willing to provide care when the person you look after leaves hospital. Care plans should be reviewed annually, if not more frequently.

Patient Experience team
General information, support and advice for all patients and carers
Telephone: 01274 364021

If you provide regular and substantial care for anyone, you should consider having an assessment as soon as possible so you do not miss out on anything you might be entitled to.

Carers’ Toolkit
West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership Carers’ Toolkit

Local authority
Find your local authority and their contact details.

Bradford Council – Integrated Carers’ Service
The service provides help and support for carers to live a life of their own alongside their caring role. This is done by helping carers to discover opportunities for social and leisure activities as well as training, work and education.

Carers’ Resource
Information, advice and support for carers throughout the region.

Making Space – Bradford and Airedale Carer Support Service
Professional and caring support workers provide a free service to carers in Bradford and Airedale.

Barnardo’s Young Carers’ Service
A partnership between Barnardo’s, Bradford CCG’s and the local authority, the service was established in 1994 and has continued to address the needs of young carers aged 5 to 18 by working with a range of agencies.

Carers UK
Making life better for carers.