Your carer rights and self-advocacy

Contents

• Your rights
• Meeting a healthcare professional
• Further help and support

Your rights

As a carer, you have the right to:

• Information and advice
• The right support at the earliest opportunity
• To be treated as an expert when discussing the condition of the person I care for

The following three organisations can help support you:

• Caring for Carers (Plymouth) - 01752 201890
• Devon Carers - 03005004043
• Cornwall Carers - 01736 756655

Out of Hours support services for the person you care for is available through:

• Plymouth Adult Social Care - 01752 668000
• NHS - 111

Meeting a healthcare professional

Make a note of important information such as:

• Full name
  • Date of birth
  • National Insurance number
  • NHS number or hospital number
  • GP details
  • Next of kin details
  • Lasting power of Attorney details (you will be asked to provide a copy)
• Have a record of medical history including current medications and doses
• If the person you care for has a Treatment Escalation Plan (TEP) (previously known as Do Not Resuscitate order) in place, make sure it is discussed or available when needed

When meeting a healthcare professional:

• Write down any questions you have beforehand
• If you need any additional support, ask if it's OK to bring someone with you and take notes if needed
• You may be asked difficult questions, please be prepared to be honest
• If you are unsure of anything, ask the professional to summarise what they have said, including any jargon which may be unclear
• If you are feeling exhausted or emotional during your appointment, please tell the professional

If you would prefer to not talk in front of the person you care for, ask the professional for a private discussion. This may also be beneficial for the person you care for.

Further information on Lasting Power of Attorney can be found on the government's website.

Further help and support

If you can't find what you are looking for please contact Caring for Carers on 01752 201890 or email caringforcarers@improvinglivesplymouth.org.uk and they will do their best to help.

The Carers UK Looking after someone guide is for anyone who cares for family or friends. The guide outlines your rights as a carer and gives an overview of the practical and financial support available.

We encourage all carers to read Being Heard - a guide to self-advocacy for carers. The guide has been produced by Carers UK to help carers speak up for themselves and the person they care for.

Advice Plymouth offer advice and information on a range of topics. To speak to someone who will assess your advice needs, please call 0300 3309 043.

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Let us know if the information on this page is wrong and needs to be updated.

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