To better understand the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on care services, the Care Quality Commission have partnered with Healthwatch to launch a new campaign called #BecauseWeAllCare. The campaign aims to encourage unpaid carers to have their say on their own experiences of accessing health and social care services during the pandemic – whether good and bad – so that the right improvements can be made to services for all carers.
The Carers UK report, Caring Behind Closed Doors 2020, showed that 81% of carers are providing more care for their loved ones, often as a result of health and care systems temporarily reducing their services and relatives’ care needs increasing. This new survey has, in part, been created to understand further what the reality of this is now for unpaid carers. Recognising the changing priorities of health and care services during the pandemic and the significant impact this then has on carers and those they care for.
Many services have continued to be able to support carers and get the practical support they need. But other carers haven’t got what they needed from these services, going for long periods without a break, unable to get the additional support they need, and in some cases having no choice but to reduce their hours or give up work altogether to care.
Find out more about the #BecauseWeAllCare campaign, and feedback your experiences.
Healthwatch Middlesbrough is also seeking your healthcare experience to ensure local services are delivered in a way that meets the needs of communities across South Tees. Take the survey.
