Issue - meetings

To hear from Faiza Rizvi, Director, BME Carers.

Document to follow.

The panel received a presentation from Faiza Rizvi of the BME Carers Centre.  Please see attached documents for this information.

Sitter service

• This service is not Home care.
• 60-70% of users for this service are self referrals.  Other referral routes include families, GPs, Social services and friends.
• The service is available seven days a week from early morning until late evening.
• Staff are all Criminal Records Bureau checked, fully trained and have regular supervisions.
• The service is for a minimum of two hours and a maximum of four hours per week.
• There is a huge waiting list for this service.
• The carer is able to chose the day, time and whether there are any other specifications e.g. culture or gender requirements.
• Insurance premiums are high for this service as the cared for person is taken out for activities e.g. swimming, shopping etc.
• The majority of the employed sitters are from BME communities.
• The service is free for the carer/cared for person.

Advocacy Service

Includes helping people read letters from statutory organisations which can automatically set off alarm bells with people worrying about the content of the letter.

Monthly support meetings

Discuss issues e.g. Big Care Debate and have guest speakers.

The Scrutiny panel will be attending one of these meetings in December.

This is seen as a social event by many carers.

Community Income project

Target – to increase household income by £10 per week.

Action: Faiza Rizvi to send figures on target and how much has been raised to Melanie Ponomarenko

Discussion around care for the cared for person when the carer dies.  Noted that this is a big concern for a lot of carers.  Query as to who assists with this planning? 

Noted that it is an outcome in the Well-being Strategic Framework.

MHCSA – very few people who access carers services do so via a carers assessment.

Discussion around the need to share information and best practice across the carers organisations.

The Chair asked attendees what changes they would like to see for carers:

• Tangible outcomes from assessments – not a ‘paper chase’
• ‘To know there is something there to support us when we have had enough’
  • Respite and emergency breaks provision
• Less duplication of services by organisations
• Clarity on who can access what services.  Names of organisations can imply that the services are only available for certain ethnic groups.
• Barriers between organisations need to be broken down for the ‘good of carers’
• An updated carers directory
• Get GPs to speak to carers about the cared for person