Choose the right service for your urgent needs
If you do any of these you are considered a carer:
- Arrange and coordinate medical appointments for a parent
- Live close enough to a disabled friend to be able to drop in every day to provide a meal and some company
- Move in with a relative to help them recuperate after a major operation
- Be on hand to provide 24-hour constant care for your partner
Anyone can become a carer; carers come from all walks of life, all cultures and can be of any age. A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, neighbour or relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness or disability.
Tips on looking after yourself as a carer
- Eat a balanced diet – please see our list of opening times for restaurants here on our sites. You are able to get all meals 'to go' so you can bring it back to eat with your friend or relative on the ward.
- Make sure you drink enough fluids – aim to drink 6 to 8 glasses or mugs of any non-alcoholic drink each day.
- Take regular exercise – the hospital grounds are easily accessible to walk around.
- Take regular time for yourself every day – we can try and arrange for someone to sit with your friend or relative while you go off and have some time to yourself. We do not expect you to have to continue caring for your friend or relative while they are in hospital with us, we want you to have the choice.
- Make sure you get enough sleep – if you feel like you can’t leave your friend or relative then please ask the staff if they have any pull out beds available or a comfortable chair and blankets.
Essential things we recommend
It is really important that you register as a carer with your own GP. They will be able to provide you with lots of support and information including your entitlements and support services.
Many GPs are now also running health checks for carers looking at things such as your blood pressure, weight, and stress management for example. As a carer you are also entitled to an annual flu jab from your GP.
Coming out of hospital
As a carer we recognise that you are central to the planning of care involved in helping your friend or relative return home from hospital. We will ensure that you are involved from the beginning of all decision making.
"Caring is part of being human, but there can be extraordinary struggles just below the surface." Carers UK.
If you do any of these you are considered a carer:
- Arrange and coordinate medical appointments for a parent
- Live close enough to a disabled friend to be able to drop in every day to provide a meal and some company
- Move in with a relative to help them recuperate after a major operation
- Be on hand to provide 24-hour constant care for your partner
Anyone can become a carer. Carers come from all walks of life, all cultures and can be of any age. A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, neighbour or relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness or disability.
Tips on looking after yourself as a carer
- Eat a balanced diet – please see our list of opening times for restaurants here on our sites. You are able to get all meals 'to go' so you can bring it back to eat with your friend or relative on the ward.
- Make sure you drink enough fluids – aim to drink 6 to 8 glasses or mugs of any non-alcoholic drink each day.
- Take regular exercise – the hospital grounds are easily accessible to walk around.
- Take regular time for yourself every day – we can try and arrange for someone to sit with your friend or relative while you go off and have some time to yourself. We do not expect you to have to continue caring for your friend or relative while they are in hospital with us, we want you to have the choice.
- Make sure you get enough sleep – if you feel like you can’t leave your friend or relative, please ask the staff if they have any pull-out beds available or a comfortable chair and blankets.
Essential things we recommend
It is really important that you register as a carer with your own GP. They will be able to provide you with lots of support and information including your entitlements and support services.
Many GPs are now also running health checks for carers looking at things such as your blood pressure, weight, and stress management for example. As a carer you are also entitled to an annual flu jab from your GP.
Coming out of hospital
As a carer we recognise that you are central to the planning of care involved in helping your friend or relative return home from hospital. We will ensure that you are involved from the beginning in all decision making.
"Caring is part of being human, but there can be extraordinary struggles just below the surface." Carers UK.
- As a trust we are signed up to John’s campaign, allowing any of our patients to have their carers continuing to care for them while they are admitted into hospital. www.
johnscampaign.org.uk - Frimley Park Hospital site offers a carers' open visiting pass. Senior nurses can provide an open visiting lanyard/badge with the carer’s symbol on the front; it means that hospital staff will readily recognise your role in caring for a friend or relative.
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We will do our best to work towards supporting the carers of patients receiving treatment and care at all Frimley Health Foundation NHS Trust sites.
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We will work together with social care to reduce the likelihood of a carer feeling isolated, deteriorating in health due to the caring responsibilities and/or experiencing financial difficulties.
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We will listen to carers’ views and concerns and work to address these with a positive, helpful outcome.
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We will use the invaluable source of information you can contribute to your friend or relative’s care and wherever possible use this information to inform and improve care.
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We will respect your decision as a carer on how much you would like to be involved as a carer while your friend or relative is a patient in the hospital.
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We will do our best to help you find information, support and guidance that will help you as a carer.
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We will involve you in all stages of the discharge planning process to ensure that your own needs are taken into account.
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We will care – together.
