Are You a Carer?
If you care for someone who could not cope without your support because of illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, whether that's a family member, partner or friend, then you are a carer. If you are, please let us know. As a carer, you are entitled to specific support, such as health check-ups and free flu vaccines, so we want to make sure we can support you.
Carers Support West Sussex have a range of services that can help support you, from counselling and access to relaxation therapies to a Carer Wellbeing fund, support groups and Carer Response Line. You can call them on 0300 028 8888 or visit their website for more information about the services and the resources they can provide.
You can also contact the Carers Health Team on 01243 623521 or via email at SC-TR.carerwellbeing@nhs.net. They provide a free service, working directly with carers to help them develop strategies to reduce the strain of their caring burden. They can provide information and advice on specific health conditions, as well as practical advice on the caring environment (safe lifting and handling, healthy eating, risk minimisation).
The NHS has teamed up with Carers UK to give free digital resources to carers, including free access to the Jointly app, helping you coordinate care. Carers in West Sussex can create an account at www.carersdigital.org using code DPCN9922.
There is a wealth of information on the NHS website about carers and caring. Below are some links into the site that we hope you will find useful.