Carers and families

During the COVID-19 pandemic our visiting and leave arrangements are subject to change at short notice.  We are guided by the Government and Public Health England about how best we can ensure everyone’s safety and protection from COVID-19. If you need advice on patient visiting or overnight leave for a member of your family or someone you offer care and support to, we recommend you contact the relevant service/team. Visit our locations directory.

Advice for carers during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Adult carers now able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine

The next step in the national vaccination programme is vaccinating Priority Group 6. This includes individuals added to the shielded patient list via QCovid® and adult carers.

According to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and Public Health England Green Book, adult carers are “those who are eligible for a carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable.”

Two data sources are being used to identify those who are eligible within this definition: those flagged as carers in GP systems, and those assessed by the Department for Work and Pensions as eligible for Carer’s Allowance. Those who have a carers flag on GP systems are being called by Primary Care Network Local Vaccination Services, as in many cases they will accompany the person they care for if they are also being vaccinated in cohort 6 – for example those with learning disabilities.

Those identified within these groups are now able to book via the National Booking Service; either by visiting www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or by calling 119 (free of charge, and available between 7am and 11pm seven days a week).

Carers play an essential role in helping those they care for stay well or get better. They provide a vital source of practical and emotional care and support that is often invaluable. 

Our Carers and Families Strategy 2018-21 sets out our commitment and priorities for carers and our plans to delivering the six key standards of the Triangle of Care.

Our commitment to carers

We will work with you as a partner

This means we will:

• Respect your role as an expert in the care and support of the person who uses our services
• Listen to what you say and communicate clearly with you
• Respect carers’ and patient confidentiality and work with you to overcome barriers to giving support and sharing information.

We will support you to get help and assistance when you need it

This means we will:

• Respond in a timely way to your needs and, in particular, during times of crisis
• Provide support which is tailored to your personal needs
• Signpost you to relevant information and advice and enable you to get help from the carer support services
• Take a ‘whole family’ approach to supporting carers, recognising the needs of young carers

We will train our staff to be aware of carers’ needs

This means we will:

• Ensure all our staff can identify carers and recognise their role as partners
• Enable our staff to respond quickly and flexibly
• Involve our staff in developing information, support and other services for carers
• Involve carers in training our staff. 

Your feedback as a carer

A Carers' Steering Monitoring group with representation from Devon and Torbay Carer organisations, carers, Devon Partnership NHS Trust staff and Torbay and Southern Devon Health and Care NHS Trust monitors the implementation of the Triangle of Care and collects feedback from carers about their experience of mental health services. We use their feedback to help improve the services we provide.