Partnership puts carers on the map

Fife Health and Social Care Partnership are putting carers on the map.

This week is national Carers Week and the Partnership is teaming up with other organisations in the Kingdom to thank carers for all that they do and to shine a light on the support available to them.

Carers week – which runs until 16 June - is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities.

This year the theme is 'Putting Carers on the Map.'

There is a packed programme of events this week for carers in the Kingdom, which started with a Carer’s Conference, organised by the Fife Carers Centre on Monday.

The Partnership’s Director Nicky Connor and Principal Social Worker Jennifer Rezendes spoke at the event, highlighting the important role carer’s play.

Nicky Connor said: “It’s great to be able to celebrate these unsung heroes of our communities in Fife.

“Unpaid carers give their time and energy to care for loved ones, friends, family and neighbours and their dedication is the backbone of our health and social care system. I’d like to express my deep gratitude to each of them who make a personal commitment every day to help others.

“In Fife, organisations like the Fife Carers Centre and many other third sector partners strive to support our carers offering information guidance and a respite. I’d like to thank them all for the work that they do too.”

Fiona McKay, Head of Strategic Planning, Performance and Commissioning at the Partnership added: “We recognise the huge contribution Fife’s carers make. Carer’s week really does give us a chance to celebrate them and pay tribute to their hard work.

“Last year the Fife Integration Joint Board (IJB) approved a new Carers Strategy for Fife. The strategy was informed by the views of unpaid carers in Fife and outlines our vision to support carers with a focus on providing information, co-ordinated support and breaks from caring.

“We want to help address the challenges to ensure unpaid carers have access to information, co-ordinated support and get breaks from caring.”

In addition to the Strategy, Morna Fleming was appointed Carers' Representative on the Integration Joint Board of the Partnership in April 2016 to ensure the voices of carers across the Kingdom are heard.

She said: “My role is to be the voice of unpaid carers when proposals are being discussed.

“To do this, I have a 'constituency' of unpaid carers who have participated in various engagement events with the Partnership, and can be asked for their views which I will then present at meetings.

“I’m also looking forward to the development of the Carers' Forum, which will enable a number of unpaid carers to meet face to face if they can, to share their experiences, and to further ensure that their voices are heard loudly and clearly.”

A list of events organised by Fife Carers Centre is available online.