Our Dorset Carers Collaboration – Our Dorset ICS Leaflet to Identify Carers
On this page
- Lead Organisation
Dorset Council
- Project contact
Amanda Dunning, Commissioning Officer, Dorset Council amanda.dunning@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
- About ‘Our Dorset Collaboration’
The Our Dorset Carers Collaboration represents our partnership working across the ICS, and the joined up approach that underpins these projects. These projects were worked on jointly within the Dorset Carers Partnership Group (DCPG). The DCPG brings together key partners in health, social care and VCSE sectors working with carers across the Dorset-wide footprint. We come together to network, raise awareness of carer support, discuss areas of challenge, and work in collaboration for the benefit of carers on a range of projects in line with the Pan Dorset Carers Strategy priorities.
The aim of this initiative was to increase the number of identified Carers in Dorset by creating a leaflet with complimenting poster that was easy to understand and gave clear instructions on how unpaid carers can access support.
The campaign also supported the delivery of the Pan-Dorset Carer Steering Group Valuing Carers in Dorset strategic objective to identify carers.
- Partners
Carers, Dorset Carers Partnership Group (includes (Voluntary and community sector including third sector), Pan-Dorset Carer Steering Group, NHS Dorset, Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, BCP Council, Dorset Parent Carer Foundation, The Leonardo Trust, Dorset County Hospital Foundation Trust (DCHFT), University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, PCN surgeries, Dorset Council Libraries, Carer Support Dorset
- Project duration
The project was completed within 12 months. There is a requirement for an annual, co-productive review and refresh to ensure the leaflet and poster remain relevant and up to date.
- Key beneficiaries
Carers in Dorset who had previously not been identified. It has also benefits professionals working with carers as they are able to signpost to additional support.
Our Dorset Carers Collaboration – Our Dorset ICS Leaflet to Identify Carers
Why we started this initiative
Carers told the ICS partners that they felt the system was confusing, and they didn’t know who to contact for help and support. The census also highlighted that a high proportion of carers were not identifying themselves to services.
The leaflet and poster aimed to provide carers with 2 simple steps to access a wide range of support: 1. Tell your GP surgery you are a carer. 2. Contact your local council area’s carer support service.
Our goals
To help people with a caring role to access advice and support by taking two simple steps.
Dorset Council led a project in response to the Pan-Dorset Carers Steering Group Valuing Carers in Dorset objectives to:
• Ensure Carers receive relevant and timely information and advice about their caring role.
• Provide personalised support for Carers and those receiving care.
• Deliver equitable services across Dorset by commissioning Carers services in a joined-up way.
• Ensure that Carers rights are recognised at the same level as the cared for person.
How we’re implementing it
• An electronic version of the poster and leaflet were widely circulated to stakeholders and partners.
• The ICS leaflets are used in hospital A&E wards/by hospital discharge staff to encourage Carers to identify and register with the council/their GP.
• Leaflets are given out at public information events and by providers.
• GP practices display them in surgeries and give them to people when they identify as having caring responsibilities.
• Pharmacies display the poster.
• They are on display in public places such as libraries, and Council offices.
We have worked across the ICS and seen a rise in registrations over the course of the year compared to other years.
• Dorset Council would have benefited from working as a task and finish group to progress this project in a timely manner. However, systemwide teamwork prevailed in finalising the documents and distributing across Health and Social Care.
• Ensure funding is identified before starting a project such as this.
• The right places for distribution took time to identify and process.
• Double check telephone numbers/website addresses to ensure the most up to date version.
• Coproduction takes time to undertake, however the result is rewarding and relevant to Carers. Plan time for coproduction and stakeholder feedback, not always possible to accommodate everyone’s wishes. Be clear what is important to project aim and outcomes.
• Following launch schedule, ensure regular reviews are carried out to ensure the information remains up to date.
• Add a code to quote to enable tracking when leaflet was used to Register a Carer.
• Printed versions of leaflets are always requested and considered essential by Carers and professionals.
• Pharmacies preferred A4 laminated posters in colour provided as they were not able to print locally. Providing this encouraged more to be displayed.
• Worth spending time travelling to put posters on display in public places, partners and Carers were also willing to help with this to achieve a greater impact.
• We distributed the leaflets/posters to health and social care teams who had contact with the public including district nurses, mental health teams and acute/community hospitals. This helped raise the profile of identifying Carers.
• We didn’t take a baseline or come up with a way to tracking whether it was the leaflet that caused new carers to come forward, so we can’t track the impact as well. Anyone else considering leaflets should consider this in advance.