Carer Support Team (Hopewood Park)

A carer is someone who looks after another person, usually a family member or friend, who could not manage without their support due to illness, disability, mental health problems or an addiction.

Caring for someone could include helping with:
• Cooking
• Phone calls
• Personal care
• Attending appointments
• Emotional support
• Medication

We will work in partnership with carers and families to involve you, not just because we have a statutory duty to do so, but because we want to and appreciate that your knowledge and experience, as a carer, can benefit and improve the care we give. We understand that carers play a critical role and without your support, we would not be able to deliver the hope, treatment and care that we always aim to do.

For further information please ask staff for a copy of the Carer Promise, which is also available at www.cntw.nhs.uk/carers

The carer support team are based on site at Hopewood Park. The team has two ‘carer leads’ whose role is to support carers.

Kay Davison
Covering:
• Beckfield
• Longview
• Shoredrift
• Springrise

Laura Tarbett
Covering:
• Aldervale
• Clearbrook
• Bridgewell
• Brooke House

The carer support team, work with carers to provide additional support and time to listen to families and carers concerns and support them during their loved one’s recovery.

The carer support team can:
• Listen to family/carer needs. The team work flexibly, and can meet you on site or contact you by telephone call if you’d prefer. This can be outside of the team’s regular weekday office hours for those who work shift patterns.
• Speak with carers to find out about their loved one’s history and any useful information about the patient from the carers perspective. This information can then be used in the patients care plan eg likes and dislikes, triggers
• Advocate for families and carers during meetings, whether they can attend or not.
• Update families and carers on a patient’s recovery and attend meetings to feedback for family/carer when they cannot attend themselves (where patient gives consent to share this information).
• Support families and carers to identify other needs they may have i.e.- referrals for carers assessment, referral to local carers centre to access support groups and/or training.
• Provide carer events and drop-in sessions so that face to face support can be given, and families and carers can meet one another, ward teams and MDT to gain a wider understanding of what the Trust provides to promote patient’s recovery.

“When my son is on the ward and unwell he struggles to talk to me, The carer lead is able to regularly provide me with an update on his wellbeing, eating, drinking, the small things that are reassuring to know” (Relative of patient on acute ward)

“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for listening. I feel better knowing I have someone who is able to listen to my concerns and link in with the ward to share these and give feedback to me.” (Relative of patient on rehabilitation ward)

“I have never received so much support and information as a carer during any of my relative’s inpatient admissions” (Relative of patient on acute ward)

“I found out loads of helpful info” – (Relative of patient on psychiatric intensive care unit)

“Attending the drop in I was able to collect pamphlets about mental health conditions such as bi-polar and schizophrenia and spoke with staff. I found the drop-in really interesting and would definitely attend again in the future” (Relative of patient on rehabilitation ward)

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:
• talk to the people directly involved in your care
• ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website www.cntw.nhs.uk (click on the ‘Contact Us’ tab)
• telephone the Complaints Department Tel: 0191 245 6672
• email [email protected] Please note that information sent to the Trust via email is sent at your own risk

We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention.

You can provide feedback in the following ways:
– the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/poy
– complete a Points of You survey, available from staff.

If you would like to have a discussion with a member of the carer support team, please contact:

Kay Davison
Tel: 07773 136 046

Laura Tarbett
Tel: 07890 910 623

Alternatively, you can speak to a member of ward staff who can make a referral to the carer support team who will then contact you.

There is a range of useful information available online at www.cntw.nhs.uk/carers you can also ask staff for a printed copy of the following resources:
• Carer Promise
• Useful contacts for carers
• Carer card
• Mummy is poorly
• Mummy is a hero

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre

Tel: 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2023 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Ref, PIC/893/0823 August 2023 V1

www.cntw.nhs.uk Tel: 0191 246 7288

Review date 2026