Carers Scotland launches Being Heard to help carers better express their views and needs to social care professionals

Scots who care for loved ones with health problems do not feel that their needs and views are heard by health and social care professionals.

According to support body Carers Scotland there is a real problem with carers not having the skills or confident to ask for the help they and their loved ones need.

The body has created a new online guide called Being Heard that aims to give carers information to help them get better access to a range of services and products, from respite care to stair lifts.

The Being Heard guide explains how health and social care services work, it covers how to communicate effectively and examines the emotions and thinking that get in the way of asking for help.

Carers often find that decisions have been made without their input or that they are not given an opportunity to get their views heard.

The guide is based on the learnings of a small advocacy service that has been run by Carers Scotland in South West Glasgow since 2011.

Simon Hodgson, director of Carers Scotland said: “Those caring, unpaid, for loved ones can find it very difficult to express their needs and opinions with systems and services.

“Carers often find that decisions have been made without their input or that they are not given an opportunity to get their views heard.

“Advocacy is all about being heard and these resources have been particularly targeted at those carers who do not have access to a local carers advocacy service.

“Everything in the guide is based on real carer experiences and seeks to offer practical options to enable them to communicate effectively with service providers.”

Being Heard is free for carers and is available from Friday 31st October at carersuk.org