Quality requirement 10: Supporting families and carers

Carers of people with long-term neurological conditions are to have access to appropriate support and services that recognise their needs both in their role as carer and in their own right.

The Project has produced an A-Z Directory of Services for Carers in the Preston area. This has been placed on their website. This enables carers and health and social care professionals to download relevant sections and also makes it possible to update the directory on a regular basis. The project also produces a card outlining what local organisations can offer for carers. A copy of this card is on every patient locker in local hospitals.

• Preston and District Carers Centre, Preston
• Preston Carers Project A-Z Directory (opens new window)

CHIS provides specialist family services for relatives and close friends of people with acquired brain injury referred to the Community Head Injury Service at Aylesbury Primary Care Trust.

Headway, Dorset run an information group for carers. The programme consists of 10 sessions covering different aspects of brain injury. The first part of each session gives information on specific problems and the second part looks at its effects on carers and explores coping strategies. A number of groups are self-supporting after eight years, but still get in touch with professionals over specific problems.

See pages 35 and 51 of the Action on Neurology report for information on this example of good practice: a focus group and questionnaire to identify the support needed by carers of people with acquired brain injury. Key outcomes have included raising the profile of Headway carer support meetings, exploration of a support telephone line manned by carers and potential recruitment of an acquired brain injury co-ordinator to act as single point of contact.