By guest blogger Charlotte Argyle, Carers Support Programme Manager at Macmillan
Last week was Carers Week and Macmillan joined in as a national and local partner to raise awareness with politicians, local decision makers and people affected by cancer of the issues cancer carers are currently facing. As part of this we got involved in two parliamentary events.
On Monday we attended a ‘speed-networking’ event for MPs. It was an opportunity for carers to tell MPs what caring is really like, including the impact on their health, relationships, finances and work.
Two cancer carers spoke to MPs about how they missed out on support largely because they were not identified by health and social care professionals or signposted to what help is available.
Macmillan is campaigning on this issue so it was great to meet some key MPs including Ian Mearns MP and Stephen Lloyd MP as well as Barbara Keeley MP, who raised the issue in Parliament the next day:
On Wednesday we attended the Carers Week Question Time event which was an opportunity for carers to put questions to an expert panel including Care Services Minister, Norman Lamb MP.
Other panellists included Nigel Sparrow from the Royal College of GPs; the President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Sandie Keene; Sally Warren, from Public Health England; Sharon Allen from Skills for Care and Carers UK volunteer and former carer, Vanessa Matthews.
A Macmillan supporter who also co-facilitates a support group for cancer carers in south London , asked the question:
“How will the NHS do more to identify and signpost carers?”
Norman Lamb responded that we need a culture change in the NHS and the new Care Bill is an opportunity to achieve this. Nigel Sparrow from the Royal College of GPs added that signposting to support is part of a GP’s role.
These were all helpful responses for our campaign calling on the NHS to do more to identify carers, to make sure they are signposted to support. Macmillan is keen to work with the Government, NHS England and other organisations to prevent more carers slipping through the net.
Charlotte Argyle, Carers Support Programme Manager
