Significant progress has been achieved in the first 12 months of the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy 2024-2027.
North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board’s Performance, Finance and Audit Committee welcomed the news and vowed to continue providing supports for the area’s unpaid carers.
The strategy, guided by extensive engagement with unpaid carers, focuses on practical support and proactive interventions tailored to unpaid carers’ individual needs, known as the “what might help?” approach.
This approach varies depending on a carer’s individual needs and leads to meaningful choice for carers. Support can range from help with income maximisation or carer peer support to wider family/community supports or using assistive technology to help mitigate care risks.
Key achievements from the past year include:
- Expansion of the innovative Carer Breather programme to 15 local community organisations, enabling carers to regularly access breaks and reduce feelings of isolation
- Successful introduction of Carer Outcome Grants, offering financial support to address immediate caring needs
- Enhanced hospital discharge processes, significantly reducing delays and improving post-discharge support through targeted initiatives
- Commissioning dedicated support services across key areas such as dementia, autism, young carers, and carers from minority ethnic and LGBTQIA+ communities, ensuring inclusivity and targeted assistance
Highlighting the importance of this approach, Chair of the Performance, Finance and Audit Committee, Brian Moore (pictured), said: “Unpaid carers provide invaluable support to their loved ones and our communities.
“However, unpaid carers in North Lanarkshire face many of the challenges experienced by carers nationally. This means it is crucial that we recognise their efforts and ensure they feel valued, supported and heard.
“Our local carers tell us their experiences continue to be more positive than national findings. Our strategy and the ‘what might help?’ approach show our commitment to ensuring unpaid carers receive meaningful, effective support tailored to their individual circumstances.
“Unpaid carers have told us they want their health and wellbeing supported, better awareness of assistive technology, improved future planning and to be engaged on policy and support planning.
“As part of this, we have devoted £18 million, potentially over the next six years, to ensure carer-focused organisations including North Lanarkshire Carers Together and Alzheimer’s Scotland work closely with University Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire to meet the needs of unpaid carers.
“The progress being made is very welcome and it’s being achieved because the ‘what might help?’ work is being directly influenced and informed by carer feedback.
“It’s crucial we listen to what unpaid carers are telling us and its clear staff are ensuring feedback is at the very heart of this approach. We will continue listening, learning and evolving our approach, ensuring every unpaid carer receives the support they deserve.”
For more information about the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy and support available, please visit https://hscnl.org.uk/about-us/
