Adult Carers

We asked

Aberdeenshire Health & Social Care Partnership is currently reviewing its Adult Carer Strategy, which was published in 2018. Our updated Adult Carer Strategy aims to set out our objectives for supporting adult carers in Aberdeenshire, over the next five years.

We conducted online surveys for both adult carers and people who support them, asking for their views on priorities for Aberdeenshire’s Strategy, for supporting adult carers to sustain their caring role and have a meaningful life alongside caring. Paper copies of the surveys were available on request. The surveys were open from 26th August to 13^th October 2024.

Adult carers and people supporting them were also given the opportunity to provide feedback during the AHSCP Strategic Plan Engagement Events held widely over Aberdeenshire during mid-September to mid-October.

We asked adult carers and those supporting them for their views on the following:

• Their awareness of the Aberdeenshire Carers Support Service (VSA)
• Whether carers felt recognised by health and social care services and carer support services in Aberdeenshire and what would help support carers to be more recognised
• Their views on training available for carers within Aberdeenshire
• Access to breaks from caring
• Their experiences of being involved and included in the hospital discharge of the person they are caring for
• Their views on Emergency Planning
• Their priorities for inclusion in our Adult Carer Strategy over the next five years
• Comments on the implementation of the Carers Scotland Act

You said

In total 188 adult carers and 20 people supporting adult carers participated in the surveys to give their views. Responses to both surveys were received evenly from across north, central and south Aberdeenshire. 75% were female carers and the majority of carers were aged between 45 and 64 (58%), with 23% aged over 65.

The majority of carers (56%) were aware of the Carer Support Service and registered with VSA, with signposting via social work services, health services, the third sector and social media. The majority of people supporting adult carers (70%) were also aware of the service.

46% of carers informed that they did not feel recognised as an unpaid carer. The majority indicated that more awareness and understanding by services would help carers feel more recognised, particularly Healthcare/NHS and GP Services. 30% of people supporting adult carers also said that carers were not recognised.

Most carers (81%) advised that they had not accessed training to support them in their caring role, identifying Moving and Handling, Mental Health Training, First Aid and Condition Specific Training as required. 50% of people supporting adult carers informed they had accessed Carer Awareness Training.

60% of carers said they have not accessed breaks from caring. Those who had, informed that having a break had the most positive impact on their mental health. Whilst additional feedback from some carers was positive, the majority of carers stated a lack of resources for respite care or replacement care for the person they are caring for as being a barrier to accessing breaks from caring.

42% of carers stated they were not involved or informed during the hospital discharge process of the person they are caring for, with the majority informing there was no or little recognition by ward staff/healthcare staff for carer involvement in hospital discharge. Responses for people supporting adult carers was similar.

78% of carers stated that carers would like support to complete an emergency plan.

Carers top priorities for inclusion in the updated Strategy were:

• Information sharing and support available to carers
• Development and implementation of a consistent and supportive hospital discharge planning process, which involves carers
• Improve and promote carer awareness training for paid staff and carers and the people they care for
• Develop a training plan for carers to access based on their identified training needs
• Promotion of Carers Card UK (carer concessions and recognition)

People supporting adult carers identified the same top priorities in a similar order.

Of the carers who gave feedback on the local implementation of the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, the majority were either unaware of the Act or made no comments, suggesting that there is potentially a lack of awareness and understanding of the Carers (Scotland) Act amongst local carers. People supporting adult carers indicated the Act is being implemented well in Aberdeenshire, but there were also concerns about resources.

We will

The Draft Strategy is now being prepared for the Integrated Joint Board and Strategic Planning Committee, being held in March 2025, for their review, and to seek approval of the proposed Strategy, prior to making this available to unpaid carers for their consultation during April/May 2025.