Carers Rights Day 2023

The ‘Our Dorset’ ambition is for everyone to have the best possible health and care outcomes and live healthier, longer and fulfilling lives. That’s why our NHS organisations, councils and voluntary and community partners are working together in partnership to recognise, support and value unpaid Carers of all ages in Dorset County. 

These organisations include: 

  • Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole Council including CRISP (Carers’ Resource Information and Support Programme) and Young Carers. 
  • Dorset Council including partners Carer Support Dorset & Rethink 
  • Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust 
  • NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board  
  • Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
  • University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Hospitals)  
  • Dorset Advocacy, Dorset Carers Hub, Healthwatch, Help & Care, Leonardo Trust, MYTIME Young Carers and Pramacare  

Are you a Carer?
You may not think of yourself as a Carer, you may not even relate to this term at all as first and foremost you are either a parent, spouse, sibling, daughter, son or friend who offers help. A Carer provides voluntary physical, social or emotional support to sick or disabled family members or friends. Each caring role is unique and you may provide support for just a few hours a week or over 50 hours a week. Many Carers don’t see themselves as Carers and it takes them an average of two years to acknowledge their role as a Carer. You do not need to be in receipt of welfare benefits to be classed as a Carer to get help and advice.

The Theme for Carers Rights Day isYour Rights: today, tomorrow and in the future
Each year Carers UK promotes Carers Rights Day (23 November) where we’re joined by hundreds of organisations and thousands of individuals raising awareness of caring, helping to identify carers and signposting them to information, advice and support.

Whether someone has recently become a Carer, realised they have been caring for a while without support or has been caring for someone for many years, it’s important they understand their rights and are able to access the support that is available to them whenever they need it.

Carers Rights Day empowers Carers with information and support. It helps them to feel confident asking for what they need and challenge things when their rights are not being met, whether that be in the workplace or education, in accessing health or social care, when interacting with other professionals or at home. For more information about Carers Rights Day visit: Carers Rights Day – Carers UK 

Recommendations for Carers

    1. Register as a carer with your GP surgery
    Being registered with your GP as a carer can provide you and the person you care for with more support, you can access shared appointments and access free flu vaccinations and so on.

    2. Register with your local carer support service:
    By registering as a Carer with your local Carer support service you can access a whole range of support, connect with other Carers like you and get a FREE Carer Friendly Photo ID Card with access to local and national discounts.

    If you are a carer and the person you are caring for lives in the Dorset Council area contact: 

    Carer Support Dorset  
    Tel: 0800 3688349 
    Website: www.carersupportdorset.co.uk 
    Email: admin@carersupportdorset.co.uk 
    Register with Carer Support Dorset

    If you are a carer and the person you are caring for lives in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council area contact: 

    Carers Resource Information and Support (CRISP)  
    Tel: 01202 128787 
    Website: www.crispweb.org 
    Email: carersupport@bcpcouncil.gov.uk 
    Register with CRISP

    There are various events and activities happening across Dorset to mark Carers Rights Day for carers to get involved in. Together, we have collated this information to create a single programme of events: