We’re joining carers organisations across the country to raise awareness of the rights, entitlements and wider support available for unpaid carers.
It’s Carers Rights Day and his year’s theme, Know your rights, use your rights, is all about making sure more carers understand their entitlements and feel confident to use them. As a carer, knowing your rights empowers you with information about what you’re entitled to and helps you to seek the support you need and the recognition you deserve.
Health Improvement Senior Lyndsay McDonald said: “Today is an opportunity to raise awareness of the rights of unpaid carers – estimated to be a staggering 800,000 adults in Scotland, which includes 30,000 young carers under the age of 18.
“A proportion of these adult carers are also juggling paid employment with care responsibilities so it is crucial our workforce know their rights, and with the value of unpaid care in Scotland thought to be around £15.9 billion we also have a duty to ensure all carers feel supported and are aware of these rights.”
You can visit the Scottish Government Carers’ Charter to understand more about carers rights.
There are also lots of great local and national services and supports available that can be accessed for more information.
To find further details visit our recently updated NHS Lanarkshire carers webpage to find out more about local services and supports, including care and support that can be accessed for staff from the staff care and wellbeing team.
Equal partners in care (EPiC) – Caring for unpaid carers is a learning resource for health and social care that come into direct contact with unpaid carers.
To understand more about the national policy around unpaid carers visit Unpaid carers – Social care – gov.scot.
