Identifying as an unpaid carer:

Do you care for a loved one, family member, friend or neighbour? Our team at Universal Services for Carers in Derby are here to support anyone providing care living in Derby City who are informal and unpaid.

‘Unpaid’ means you are not caring as a professional, for example as a community care worker, residential care worker or a nurse. If you receive Carers Allowance you are still classed as an unpaid carer as the allowance only supports you in providing the care your loved ones require.

Unpaid carers provide vital support to their family and friends, which can cause a strain on their own lives. This makes it even more important for unpaid carers to be recognised for the work they do.

If you feel as though this description fits you, then we are here to support you with advice, information, well-being activities, training opportunities, and peer support.

Does your GP surgery know you are an unpaid carer?

It is important that your GP surgery knows you are a carer. We therefore encourage all carers making use of our service to inform their GP surgery that they are an unpaid/informal carer. In order to help you register as a carer with your GP, you can use the slip below to provide the information they need. The benefits of registering as a carer with your GP include:

• You may be able to access more convenient dates and times for appointments that take into account the complexity of your caring role;
• You may be contacted for specific seasonal services that can help protect the health of both yourself and the person you care for, such as the COVID-19 and flu vaccines;
• The surgery staff will be able to give you information about local support services for carers;
• If the person you care for is also a patient at the same practice as you, please also make your GP aware as you may be able to have joint appointments or longer appointment slots.

Remember, communication is key – it is important to be as open as possible with health and social care professionals about the impact your caring role has on you. The more they know, the better they can support you. All patients’ records are confidential, so if you need a GP to discuss information with you about the person you care for, speak to the receptionist to find out how they can support you with this.

You can download the below form, complete it and hand it into your GP surgery to help ensure they know you are a carer.