8 June 2007 

A special carers advice surgery will be held by Gillingham and Rainham MP, Paul Clark next week.

The event will take place on Thursday 14 June at Medway Carers Centre on Canterbury Street, Gillingham to mark annual Carers week which runs between the 11 and 17 June 2007.

Mr Clark wants to highlight the difficulties that carers face, like financial hardship and the impact that caring for an ill, frail or disabled friend or relative can have on a carer’s relationships and work life.

Carers Week 2007 will also be an opportunity for thousands of carers to describe the richly rewarding aspects of their job.

Mr Clark, who has lobbied Government ministers in support of better help and support for carers across the country, said the surgery would be an excellent opportunity to hear the concerns of carers in Gillingham and Rainham.

He said: “I’ve been pressurising ministers for years now to improve the help out there for carers. Carers do an unbelievably difficult and valuable job and save the country £57 billion each year by giving up such a substantial part of their own life, to improve the quality of life for another. It is absolutely essential that we reward them for that work”

Of the UK’s six million carers, around 750,000 live in the south east – amounting to almost one in 10 of the population.

Those in receipt of Carers Allowance receive £48.65 for a minimum of 35 hours, equivalent to just £1.39 per hour.
 
Mr Clark said improving the lot of carers must be a priority for government.

In March 2007, Mr Clark welcomed a multi-million pound package of support for carers as ‘a huge step forward’. But he says the government needs to build on the New Deal for Carers to ensure better access to help and support for those who need it.

The New Deal for Carers, introduced a range of measures designed to recognise the essential work that carers carry out across the country, including:

• £25 million to be spent on providing short-term home based respite care for carers in crisis or emergency situations in every council;
• £3 million towards the establishment of a national helpline for carers;
• a wide ranging review of the 1999 national carers strategy;
• £5 million to support the development of an experts carers programme.

The Medway Carers Centre, which has agreed to host Mr Clark’s surgery, provides advice, information and support to both individual and groups of family carers in the Medway area. Since its inception 7 years ago, the number of family carers using the Centre has increased to around 800. 

The centre runs coffee mornings, mental health support groups as well as basic training sessions for moving and handling those being cared for. A Telephone-out support scheme is also offered to family carers who may feel isolated or unable to leave the person they care for.

In August, the centre will take a group of carers to Eastbourne, giving many people the opportunity to relax and enjoy some vital respite.

The Centre's quarterly newsletter has a circulation of over 1000, including carers and professionals.

Centre manager, Bobbie Taiano said: It’s important for government to listen to carers as they need support that is both financial and practical to enable them to continue to care in often difficult and life changing circumstances.”

To contact the centre, volunteer to help or to make a donation telephone 01634 577340.