This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Visit to carers centre
17/08/2005
Deputy Health Minister Lewis Macdonald will visit the VOCAL carers centre in Edinburgh today.
VOCAL - Voice Of Carers Across Lothian - supports people who provide unpaid care for family, partners or friends who are ill, frail or have a disability.
Mr Macdonald will meet with staff and members of the management board, who are all carers or former carers. He will also tour the centre and learn about the range of services it provides.
Speaking ahead of his visit, Mr Macdonald said:
"There are thousands of people across Scotland providing care for relatives or loved ones day after day. This vital work can be very rewarding but also very demanding. Services like VOCAL provide invaluable support for carers.
"We are committed to supporting carers in Scotland. The Carers Strategy has delivered real improvements for carers over the last few years.
"Local authorities must identify carers including young carers and advise them of their right to an assessment of their ability to care and their own support needs.
"We have quadrupled resources from £5 million in 1999 to £23 million this year for to local authorities to support carers including young carers.
"But we know we face considerable challenges over the next 10 years - with an increasing elderly population.
"That is why we are conducting a study to identify these challenges and help us to plan now to support carers in the future."
VOCAL which is part of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers network and is part funded by NHS Lothian, Edinburgh City Council, charitable donations and other grants. It was established in 1993 and its expanded premises were officially opened in 2004 by HRH Princess Royal.
VOCAL aims to:
- Identify and support carers and carer groups and help them to provide a united voice
- Ensure that carers' needs are adequately researched and met and that carers are recognised by health and community care agencies as partners in providing care
- Ensure that good, reliable information is available to carers and help ensure that they have access to counselling, advocacy and regular breaks from caring
- Campaign and lobby on issues important to carers
- Inform and educate professionals and the general public about the needs of carers
- Work in partnership with carers, carers' groups, carer workers and with statutory, voluntary and private agencies