Carers and primary care information

Your GP and primary care team can provide you with support, advice and information.

It’s important you inform your GP that you are a carer and you want to be added the carers register they hold within the practice.

Your GP could help you with:

  • Sources of support and advice, including social services and local voluntary agencies.
  • Offering you advice and information on other services within the NHS were appropriate, such as the continence team.
  • Providing you with information on any medical conditions of or treatment for the cared for person to help you feel more knowledgeable and confident in your caring role.
  • Arranging home visits to you or the person you care for if your caring responsibilities make it difficult to attend appointments at the surgery.
  • Arranging 'double' appointments for both you and the person you care for at the same time to avoid having to visit the surgery twice.
  • Arranging for repeat prescriptions to be delivered to your local pharmacy to save you picking them up.
  • Providing supporting letters and information to enable you and the person you care for to access benefits such as Attendance Allowance or a blue badge scheme.
  • Offering priority appointments for unpaid carers
  • Offering additional mental health checks to unpaid carers who are children and young adults
  • Offering support groups and carers clinics within the practice, where you can talk to peers
  • Offering you a free NHS flu vaccination, as all unpaid carers are eligible for this

GPs practices are encourage to each have a designated carers lead, who champions to voice of carers.

Carers