About carers Who Looks After You? Support for Carers Caring for someone can be a positive experience but it can also be challenging physically and emotionally. You may feel like a nurse, taxi driver, financial advisor, advocate, pharmacist all in one day - and much more. You may find you have little time for yourself and your own health needs, but it is important to look after yourself. Although caring can be very rewarding, it also makes demands on your time, your health, your emotions and can be very tiring. So, taking a break from caring is essential - it gives you the chance to recharge your batteries. You probably already spend a lot of time talking and worrying about the person you care for, but our confidential support service for carers is here for you and puts you first. If you need to follow up your own health worries, get some support or just need someone to talk everything through with, then we can help or point you in the right direction of someone who can. We can help with information, advice and support if you need: Support to address your own health problems A listening ear to help relieve your stress and anxiety To be put in touch with other carers To organise a regular break from caring The chance to talk through your options To plan for the future support to get back into work or to access welfare benefits We can help whether you have a quick query or if you want a full carers’ assessment (all carers are legally entitled to one of these). We can meet you in your own home or somewhere else at a time that suits you.One of our team will spend time with you asking questions about you and your caring role and find out what your needs are. We’ll help you take steps to look after your health or other worries before they become too much for you to cope with and refer you on to appropriate services if necessary.You can come back to us at any time for help. Please contact us for information, advice, support or to arrange a Carers Assessment. If you are unsure if you are a Carer, you may wish to take this quick test. Further Information for Health & Social Care Professionals Information for Health and Social Care Professionals Because 1 in 10 people in Northamptonshire are Carers, it’s likely that as a health or social care professional you regularly come into contact with people who are caring for someone - though they may not always tell you they are. “As primary health care professionals, we have an important role to play in helping Carers to identify their health needs and look after their physical and mental health. We’re working hard to make our practice and policies as carer-friendly as possible and ensure all our staff are aware of how we can best support Carers. We take every opportunity to promote the value of Carers assessments to our patients – so many are unaware of what is out there to support them.” - Dr Anthony Pickering, GP, Denton, Northampton • If you are a health or social care professional for someone who is cared for, think about how you could engage with their Carer more. Carers are a vital link between patients and health professionals. • All professionals who are in contact with Carers should highlight the options available to Carers to talk about their needs. Carers have a legal right to a Carers assessment where they can identify the things that would help them with their caring role. • Encourage Carers to contact our Carers Assessment Team via to make an appointment. After their initial meeting, we will continue to be a point of contact and support for them. • Please see www.carers.org/professionals for a useful national website for professionals Manage Cookie Preferences