In celebration of Carers Week 2024, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) is embracing the national call to ‘Put Carers on the Map’ by highlighting the invaluable contributions of carers and ensuring their voices are heard loud and clear.
Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, spotlighting the challenges unpaid carers face while also helping people young and old who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access support.
More than six million people across the UK provide unpaid care for family and friends who have a disability, illness, mental health condition or need extra help as they grow older.
The QEH has an established and active Carers Forum, which exists to enhance the patient experience at the Trust, giving patients, relatives and carers a platform in which to discuss their own experiences, gather information and contribute to the design of future care.
And in April, The QEH partnered with West Norfolk Carers (WNC) providing the registered charity with a hospital base from which to support people to receive the help and support they need.
They have seen a real change to the way in which they are able to give holistic support to patients by being on site at The QEH. They closely work with teams across the hospital, particularly Family Liaison Officers, to support patients and their loved ones.
Chief Executive of WNC Jane Evans said: “Being here at the QEH means we are right at the heart of things and our teams can now more seamlessly offer information, advice, practical and emotional support or just a listening ear at people’s bedsides or in conversations with carers worried about a patient. It provides comfort and reassurance as we work hand in glove with the team at QEH. Our partnership is having such a real positive impact.”
Jane and her team will be in the main foyer at The QEH on Wednesday 12 June inviting people to find out more about West Norfolk Carers and Carers Week, and encouraging people if they are a care giver, to put where they live on a ‘care map’ to show how widespread caring is among the communities served by QEH.
Linda Woods, Associate Director of Patient Experience said: “Our carers are so import to us and we would welcome any carers of a patient, past or present at the hospital, to share their experiences with us. Only by listening and learning care we improve experiences and better care.”
