SLHSCP Carers Strategy 2023/2026
| Title | SLHSCP Carers Strategy 2023/2026 |
|---|---|
| Council Resource | Social Work |
| Service Area | Performance and Support |
| Aims and Objectives | The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 was implemented in April 2018 and introduced a number of new duties and responsibility on Health and Care Partnerships. This EQIA relates to the production of a Local Carers Strategy. Section 31 of the Act requires each local authority and relevant health board to prepare a local carers strategy and provides for what that strategy must set out. Section 32 requires the local authority and relevant health board to have regard to a non-exhaustive list of factors when preparing their local carers strategy. Section 33 deals with the publication and review of the local carers strategy. The Carers Strategy 2019/2022 aligned to the Carers Act Section 31 and 32. The Carers Strategy 2023/2026 has been produced and aligns to Section 32 and 33 of the Act. The Carers Strategy 2023 - 2026 sets out the work we are progressing to support both Adult and Young Carers that identified four priorities: 1: Carers are identified, involved, and valued 2: Carers have choice and control, allowing them to balance their own life with that of their caring role. 3: Carers can access the right support at the right time. 4: Carers have a positive experience of being a carer. The strategy recognises that each carers journey is unique to that individual and influenced by factors such as the carers personal circumstances which include their age, ethnicity, health, and other characteristics. The strategy also ensures that the assessment of the carers needs is outcome based, personalised and takes into account everything that could impact them as a carer. This ensures that the carer receives the right support at the right time. A series of consultations/focus groups were held in partnership with "Carers Connected" which is a local consultative group of Carers and facilitated with Lanarkshire Carers. These groups had a diverse representation of Carers, including Carers from the LGBT and ethnic minority communities. These face to face groups enabled carers who might be otherwise digitally excluded due to age or economical reasons. Carers were supported through a variety of means to enable their voices to be heard, such as BSL translation, language translation and assistance with travel. |
| Conclusion | This strategy does not present any negative impact on carers. However, the current financial challenges facing The Health and Social Care Partnership will mean that, similar to other areas of service priority, pressure on resources will mean that we will have to do more with less. Collecting and reporting on Carer Information required by the Scottish Government on an annual basis. The implementation/action plan that has resulted from the strategy, the consultation process and its four priorities (1 Identify, Involve, value 2 Choice Control Life Balance, 3 Right Support Right Time, 4 Positive Experience) will ensure that that more carers from a range of diverse cultures and communities will be identified and supported. The action plan is monitored on a quarterly basis by The Carers Partnership to ensure that objectives are met. All key stakeholders and/or commissioned services within The Carer Partnership are required to attend quarterly meetings and provide a highlight report in addition to quarterly contract monitoring reports. These reports include statistics and analysis of engagement with equality groups. An annual South Lanarkshire Carers survey is currently in development. This survey will improve the data collection processes already in place and will ensure that all cultures and communities within South Lanarkshire have an equality of opportunity and their specific needs and issues taken into account. The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 places a legal duty onto local authorities to produce a local Carers Strategy. This strategy has been co-produced with stakeholders from a diverse range of cultures and communities to ensure that all carers from any background are involved, included and listened to, along with evidence from both local and national sources. Through this we are confident that the strategy impacts positively on all protected characteristics. The strategy and the consultations we held with carers helped us to identify our four priorities and told us what they would like us to improve. This knowledge was used to develop our strategy delivery/improvement plan which will be monitored by the Carers Partnership Group. |
| Completion date | 2024 |
| Contact Email address | equalities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk |
| Area | Council Wide |