Context
This strategy will help us deliver priority outcomes in Belfast Trust. The Department of Health2 identifies key indicators to increase carer engagement, improve carer experience and support people in unpaid caring roles to look after their own mental health and wellbeing and live meaningful lives. It takes a whole population approach with a spotlight on people living in a fair and equitable society with reduced health inequalities3.
Importantly for carers the concept behind the seven outcomes identified from the engagement programme, represent a person’s life journey with the health and social care system. This lifespan approach is reflected in the Belfast Trust Carer Strategy4 and how it aims to help carers navigate the system and identify the required support at different stages of caring. Central themes arising from the consultation for the Belfast Trust Carer Strategy included the importance of understanding who a carer is and that the net result of changing those day-to-day interactions and the quality of experience with carers will provide better care for the patient/ service user.
The Carers Strategy aligns with:
Supporting, Understanding and Recognising the Needs of Carers
The Reform of Adult Social Care5 describes care and support as the activities, services and relationships that help us to live an independent, healthy, active and inclusive life. Carers should be supported in their caring duties and entitled to support in their own right. There is a statutory duty6 on Health and Social Care Trusts to carry out an assessment of a carer’s ability to provide care now and in the future. Supporting, understanding and recognising the needs of carers is also reflected in the four strategic priorities identified in the Belfast Trust Carer Strategy: reaching all carers, navigating carer support required at difference stages, supporting health and wellbeing and connecting with and involving carers.
Good Mental Health and Living Healthy Active Lives
As a population, we are living longer with the number of older people in our community increasing. The most important, and the largest group delivering care services in NI is unpaid. The vision of the Mental Health Strategy7 is a society which promotes emotional wellbeing and positive mental health for everyone. The Health and Wellbeing Strategy 20268 recognises carers as equal partners needing support and identifies that carers need to live their own lives with opportunities to engage in things we take for granted, such as a short break and socialising.
It encourages greater take-up of Carer Assessments, greater use of Self Directed Support and better information to carry out their caring role.
Working Together: A new way of planning and managing our Health & Social care system
The Integrated Care System9 is based on patients, clients, carers and communities being involved in the planning of care and services. Working together at a local level, it aims to better understand and be more equipped to meet the needs of local people. The new Belfast Plan10 outlines that services use feedback to identify areas for improvement and engage in co-designing for change.
Recognising & Valuing Carers
Understanding carers’ changing needs and recognising recognising carers as equal partners is a continuing theme in the Carers Strategy. In addition, the Belfast Trust Corporate Plan11 sets out a priority for a new model of care for older people. In 2024, a different approach called ‘Care Partnership’ was introduced as a way to recognise and value carers. The principles of Care Partnership came from John’s Campaign12 which stressed the importance of family or carers staying with people living with dementia, anxiety and other complex needs while in hospital. Moving away from seeing the carer as a visitor, instead it recognises unpaid carergivers as an integral part of that person’s life and identity and often their best means of connection with the world. However, Care Partnership is optional as it respects that not all carers, families or service users/ patients will want or be able to engage in this approach.
1 Will I Care: The likelihood of being a carer in adult life (2019) Carers UK
2 Strategic Priorities 2024/2025: Incorporating Strategic Outcomes Framework and System Oversight July 2024
3 Making Life Better – Strategic Framework for Public Health 2013 – 2023
4 Caring Together in Belfast 2024 Onwards – Consultation June to September 2023
5 Department of Health – Reform of Adult Social Care, 2022
6 Northern Ireland Assembly: Carers and Direct Payments Act (Northern Ireland) 2002
7 Department of Health – Mental Health Strategy 2021-2031
8 Department of Health – Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together
9 The Integrated System for Northern Ireland (ICS NI) Framework Document May 2024
10 Belfast HSC Trust Corporate Management Plan from 2024 – Being Belfast
11 Belfast HSC Trust Corporate Management Plan (2021-2024)
12 John’s Campaign (2014) http://johnscampaign.org.uk