More than 34,000 carers in the county, report states
One in nine Shropshire residents are carers according to the last census, and a report say their work is worth more than a quarter of a billion pounds combined.
A review by the council’s Adult Social Care (ASC) department has drafted new priorities for its Carers Strategy.
These include giving unpaid carers time for themselves and access to education and training.
In her report for Shropshire Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board, Locality Commissioning Manager Kate Garner writes that 34,260 people described themselves as carers in the 2011 census, at a time when the population stood at 306,100.
“The associated economic value associated with this has been calculated as £261,500,000, or an average of £7,633 each,” she writes.
“The financial impact on the council of not supporting family or unpaid carers to remain in their caring role and avoid career breakdown could be significant.
“The investment of less than £500,000 currently made by ASC to support carers, including assessments, and to commission externally-delivered support plays an important role in reducing the number of care packages and admissions to a residential setting.”
Ms Garner writes that “feedback from a number of sources that suggested that people in Shropshire either did not understand our model of carer support or attached little value to the conversations and assessments we deliver” provoked a review.
The department spoke to 135 carers and 93 more completed an online survey. Frontline staff and voluntary groups were also surveyed.
Ms Garner writes: “The findings of the review will be used to update the action plan of the All-Age Carer Strategy to ensure alignment and continuity of the existing strategy.”
She summarises its five priorities into bullet points: “Carers are listened to, valued and respected; Carers are enabled to have time for themselves; Carers can access timely, up-to-date information; Carers are enabled to plan for the future; Carers are able to fulfil their educations, training and employment potential.”
Ms Garner makes 26 recommendations, grouped under the five priority areas.
The Health and Wellbeing Board will discuss her report when it meets on Thursday, March 5.
