Health Improvement Programme for
Doncaster 2000 - 2003

Strategic Direction

There are three strategic aims:

• To provide accessible and available information
• To provide support through an involvement in the planning and delivery of services and
• To provide flexible and diverse care services which are led by the needs of carers with an initial emphasis on helping carers to take a break.

General Commentary

The national research which underlies the Government's National Strategy 'Caring About Carers'offers a useful guide to potential need in Doncaster. This research shows that caring is part of the fabric of our national culture. Nationally about 1 in 8 people are carers and for Doncaster that would mean approximately 27,000 local carers. Carers are reported as wanting: freedom to have a life of their own, to be able to maintain their health, confidence in services and a say in service provision.

A range of initiatives are organised by Doncaster Partnership for Carers, a company with charitable status created in January 1999 from an existing organisation to provide and develop help in response to the needs of carers within Doncaster. The Partnership and the initiatives listed were established and are currently supported by the Local Authority and Health Authority through joint funding, the Community Initiative Programme and the Special Transitional Grant.

These initiatives include:

• A carer's forum
• Carer's advice line
• Carer support and development worker
• Young Carer's project
• Visiting at home service
• Carer's newsletter

Other initiatives currently underway include:

• Carer's educational group on Schizophrenia
• A user and carer involvement project
• Carer support groups
• Good practice guide for staff involving carers in services and care
• Crisis support and out-of-hours service
• Community intervention team
• Respite care, and
• Domicilliary support and day care.

Further information can be obtained by downloading the full text version of the Health Improvement Programme for Doncaster 2000 - 2003.

Any comments on this section should be submitted to the Theme Lead, Mr Arnold Drakeley, Assistant Director of Development, Doncaster Health Authority, White Rose House, Ten Pound Walk, Doncaster DN4 5DJ. email: arnold.drakeley@doncaster-ha.trent.nhs.uk