“Caring Together” - the Carers Strategy for 2010 – 2015

Public Health Minister Shona Robison

To give carers, local councillors and those involved in health and social care the opportunity to hear about the new Scottish Government's Carer Strategy 2010 - 2015 and how it could impact carers in Fife we will be hosting two briefing sessions on Monday 11th October 2010 in Committee room 1 at Fife House.  There will be one at 2pm and one at 7pm.  There will be speakers from the Coalition of Carers in Scotland, Shared Care Scotland, Fife Carers Centre and Fife Young Carers.  If you would like to attend (and we hope you will!) please call Fife Carers Centre to book a place.
In July 2010 the Scottish Government, in partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) launched “Caring Together”, a five year strategy outlining a shared vision for the future of carer recognition and support in Scotland.
For the first time, carers are being recognised as equal partners in care. The strategy’s headline message states: carers are equal partners in the planning and delivery of care and support.  There is a strong case on human rights, economic, efficiency and quality of care grounds for supporting carers.  Making the announcement Public Health Minister Shona Robison said “Carers of all ages make a huge contribution to their families and to society. Their efforts help their loved ones to continue living independently - and their contribution as unpaid workers to health and social care is worth an estimated £7.68 billion a year.”  Without this valuable contribution of carers the health and social care system would not be sustained.
One of the key changes for this new strategy is the development of separate strategies for Adult and Young Carers, which mean that the problems that each group encounter are specifically addressed. The strategy for young carers is called “Getting it right for Young Carers” and you can find out more about it on the Scottish Government website.
The Government strategy forms the cornerstone on which all Local Authorities and the NHS Boards must base their own strategies for identifying and supporting carers and so plays a hugely important part in carers’ lives in Fife.