Carers to benefit from innovative 'Care passport' scheme

The Care Passport has been developed in partnership with Care for the Carers and the Carers Development Groups.

Carers can use the passport to share details of the patient's needs and preferences with hospital staff, thereby improving the care of vulnerable patients and utilising the carer's specialist knowledge.

In East Sussex over 50,000 people provide unpaid care for their friends or family. In many cases the person they care for is unable to communicate for themselves, due to illness or disability. Carers therefore often worry that the needs of the person they care for will not be understood by hospital staff.

The very first passports will be handed out to carers on the launch days.

Pre-admission letters will alert carers to the use of the care passport and will give information about where they can be obtained, together with a leaflet on the Trust's recently revised Guidelines for Involving Carers and other useful information.

Liz Fenton, Chief Executive of Care for the Carers, said, "We are delighted that the special needs of carers and patients who are unable to communicate have been recognised. Hospital stays are always stressful times and it will give great peace of mind for carers to know that hospital staff have the information they need to give the best possible patient care".

Carer Barbara Day cares for her husband, Alan, who spends a lot of time in hospital with various conditions. She said, "This is a wonderful idea because often you have to go over questions again and again and you're already in a very stressful situation. It can be very traumatic but a care passport will make life so much easier."

Jane Rowson, Clinical Matron for Medicine said, "This is a very valuable tool because carers of patients who cannot communicate are often very anxious about handing over care for even a short period of time. Care passports mean that we really break down communication barriers and can further improve patient care and relationships with carers."

Care passports can be picked up from both hospitals - in the PALS offices, Outpatients Departments and Clinics and on wards (Conquest Hospital 01424 755255, Eastbourne DGH 01323 417400), also from Social Services in East Sussex (Adult Social Care Direct - 0845 6080191). During the week of the launch (6th November) permanent displays will go on show at both hospitals to raise awareness of the care passports.