5. City of Edinburgh Council
a) Partnership Working in Edinburgh: This good practice example is based on a model of effective partnership working between the statutory and voluntary sector on implementation of two local carer strategies in Edinburgh, Towards 2012 and NHS Lothian Carer Information Strategy. The approach taken to implement the two local carer strategies is through formal regular group meetings and by direct contact through subsequent meetings, phone calls, e-mail or report writing.
The carers' strategic action plan for Edinburgh has been developed through a planning partnership of stakeholders from NHS Lothian, Carer Organisations, Edinburgh Community Health Partnership and council departmental lead officers from Health and Social Care, Children and Families and Services for Communities. The action plan is now overseen and co-ordinated through the city's Strategic Planning Group for Carers.
The purpose of the NHS Lothian Carer Information Strategy ( CIS) is to ensure carers are well informed and supported in their caring role by healthcare staff and local partner agencies. Carers can expect a standardised approach to their needs and recognition of the work that they do in providing care.
The needs of unpaid carers in Edinburgh were identified through the commissioning and consultation phase when the strategies were being developed. Implementation of the strategies includes developing joint procedures for the identification and referral of young carers by Health, Social Care and Children and Families Departments. There has also been the development of a business case for a short breaks bureau. A new carer's assessment tool has been developed and implemented on eAssess, in addition to the establishment of VOCAL's new person-centred planning service.
There is joint working with the City of Edinburgh Council Health and Social Care Department, Children and Families Department, Services for Communities Department, Lothian NHS Board, Edinburgh Community Partnership, VOCAL and MECOPP (Minority Ethnic Carers of Older People).
b) Edinburgh City Council Carer Assessment Tool: There was an identified need for an improved carer assessment tool through the development of the local joint carers' strategic action plan, Towards 2010. This involved consultation with local carer forums, carer partnerships and carer organisations as well as statutory stakeholders. The service is accessed by either making a referral or self-referral (via a carer's self assessment) to Social Care Direct, the central point for social care in Edinburgh. The service seeks to benefit unpaid carers in Edinburgh.
The carer's assessment is the template around which discussion of support for carers takes place. The assessor should always recognise the carer's knowledge of the cared for person and ensure that the carer's assessment has no negative connotations regarding the carer's competence to care.
The assessor should ensure that a carer's assessment identifies the outcomes that the carer would like to achieve. However, where there may not be resources or services to achieve these, there is an opportunity to document where services or resources have not been available and assessors are encouraged to do this to assist future strategic planning.