Healthwatch STAR Awards 2024
Carers Together were nominated and shortlisted for the 2024 Healthwatch STAR Awards 2024.
The awards celebrate those who have gone above and beyond in health and social care, the event continues to grow, and this year they received the highest number of nominations ever, 72 in total, 55 of which were eligible for the 2nd stage and considered by the judging panel.
We were nominated in the Valued Service Award category: celebrating a valued health or care service in the community.
Carers Together was nominated for the work they do in supporting carers in South Tees Trust Hospitals. Carers Together have been delivering services in James Cook Hospital and Primary Care Hospitals for a number of years. We also sit on the council of governors at James Cook Hospital ensuring that the trust delivers services which meet the needs of carers. As part of our Secondary Care Hospital Liaison Service we have been supporting hospitals to identify and support carers of patients in hospital settings prior to patient discharge and also patients who are carers themselves. We have developed, in collaboration with James Cook Hospital, a ‘Hospital Discharge: A guide for Carers’ booklet, which is designed to support carers for someone in hospital, to outline their rights, introduce them to support available and aims to make the discharge process as smooth as possible. We have also been supporting the hospitals to re-introduce a Carers Passport so carers can easily be identified on wards and be supported which includes flexible visiting hours, discounted parking and refreshments. We hold monthly drop ins at Redcar Primary Care Hospital for carers and staff to promote the offer to carers and how they can be supported. We help carers to feel prepared for their caring role upon the cared for person being discharged from hospital and once they are in the community to prevent a re-admission to hospital. This includes working closely with hospital staff, social work teams and external stakeholders. We offer relevant support to carers to help them sustain their caring role, where it is their wish to do so, when the cared for person is discharged from hospital. The diverse nature of the local population is taken into consideration when delivering support services to carers. We develop ways for carers’ voices to be heard at a strategic level to inform the development of carer friendly policies and procedures for hospital staff and new referral pathways. We ensure that when a carer needs treatment themselves, their carer status and its implications are taken into account. Throughout the years of delivering carers support in hospital, carers needs are more recognised amongst health professionals and board members. The Trust is keen to develop their support to staff who are carers and link in with our Working Carers project. They continue to review their offer to carers which ultimately results in carers needs being shared across the Trust and with wider partners.
A full news article on the STAR Awards Ceremony can be found here : STAR Awards Ceremony 2024 on the Healthwatch Middlesbrough website.
