National Carers' Strategy

• Carers at the heart of 21st century families and communities: a caring system on your side, a life of your own. This link goes to the Department of Health website.

The carers' strategy sets out the Government's short-term agenda and long-term vision for the future care and support of carers.

It is underpinned by £255 million to implement some immediate steps alongside medium and long-term plans.

New commitments

New commitments in the carers’ strategy include:

• £150 million towards planned short breaks for carers
• £38 million towards supporting carers to enter or re-enter the job market
• £6 million towards improving support for young carers

Other schemes include the piloting of annual health checks for carers and training for GPs to recognise and support carers.   A more integrated and personalised support service for carers will be offered through easily accessible information, targeted training for key professionals to support carers, and pilots to examine how the NHS can better support carers.

National Carers Strategy, summary and local implementation

This November 2008 briefing sets out a summary of the new national Carers' Strategy and implications for current and planned work in Oxfordshire 2009/10.

• Summary and local implications (.pdf format, 46Kb)