Working in Partnership with Carers

Working in Partnership with Carers

Patient Information

Admiral Nurse Service 

Introduction

We welcome the carers of patients on our wards.  We would like to work  in partnership with you, and this leaflet provides information about this, along with details of some of the resources available to support carers throughout the Trust.

What is a carer?

A carer is the main person who normally provides unpaid care for a friend or family member who due to their illness cannot cope without their support.

Working in Partnership or support to a

We welcome your contribution to our care plans with information that helps us get to know your loved one better.  If you have any concerns or queries,  please do not hesitate to speak to the nurse in charge. If you wish to speak to the doctor, please ask the nurse in charge to arrange this meeting for you.  If you have any concerns regarding discharge planning, please speak to the ward team at your earliest convenience.

Dementia Support

The trust has an Admiral Nurse Service to support carers while in hospital and following discharge.

If the person you care for has dementia, we would ask you to complete a ‘This is Me’ document, which contains their personal likes and dislikes. We also have two specialist nurses who can provide information, support and answer any questions you may have.  They can be contacted by asking the ward staff to bleep 2507, or you can contact the office direct on 0300 707 8612.  At times they will be out of the office, but if you leave a voice mail, they will contact you as soon as possible.  Discussions with the specialist nurses can take place away from the ward area if you wish.

This is Me

This is a simple leaflet that acts as a dementia  “passport” the information is populated by relatives or/and carers who know the person with dementia. Informing people about the person, it has a photograph of the patient on the front and covers family background, culture , likes and dislikes and routines. It will help others to care for the person.

John’s Campaign

As a Trust, we have signed up to John’s Campaign, which is a national initiative for the rights of carers’ to stay with people in hospital.  This allows the main carer to have open visiting. The visiting times for the trust are 12pm – 8pm.  Please ask the nurse in charge to give you a ‘carer’s passport card’. Please show the card when you first enter the ward. This prevents you having to explain each time you enter the ward outside  visiting hours. Please note that at times you may be asked to wait outside of the ward to maintain the privacy and dignity of other patients.

Medications

The person you care for may be given medications to go home with. These will contain information leaflets regarding how they should be taken, and side effects.  Should you wish for more information, then ask the ward staff to contact the pharmacy department to arrange for someone to come and speak to you on the ward.

Sharing information with carers

Staff will be happy to give you general information about conditions and treatments.Trust staff must respect the confidentiality of the patient, who may not wish for some

information to be shared. In some cases, personal information can be passed on

to others without the patient’s consent. This may happen if the information is required by law or to protect the person you care for.

If the person does not have the ability to agree to information being given to you, the care team will consider whether it will be in the best interests of the person you care for to discuss their treatment with you. 

Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)

As the main carer, you may have Power of Attorney over the finances or the welfare needs of the person you care for.  Please let staff know at the earliest opportunity.  Staff will need to see the original paperwork and will take a photocopy to put on the person’s notes.  This ensures that you will be involved in all of the decision making during the person’s hospital stay.

Best Interest Meetings

You may be invited to a “Best Interest” meeting on the ward to discuss the care and treatment or discharge needs of the person you are caring for.  As the main carer (with or without LPA) you will be involved in the decision making process.

The Trust now also has a booklet Helping you get better at home: Discharge to Assess which you will be given when discharge is being planned.

Useful contact details

Admiral Nurse 0300 7078612

Wigan and Leigh Carers Centre

3-5 Frederick Street, Hindley, Wigan, 

WN2 3BD

Telephone 01942 697885. 
https://www.wlcccarers.com/ Alzheimer’s Society 

Customer Care Team 

Telephone 0330 333 0804Connect Support Team 0333 150 3456

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/