Calderdale and Huddersfield Hospitals are looking to provide more support for carers when the person they care for is taken in to hospital.
This includes a really helpful and comprehensive leaflet that you can download, which packs in a lot of advice and information.
Carer Support At Local Hospitals – Lanyard Scheme
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) are looking to offer more support for the “carers” of patients at their hospitals. Many people are carers and some don’t even realise it. You are a carer if you give up your time, without pay, to look after someone who is ill, frail or has a disability. CHFT are now offering carers a lanyard to help identify those providing a caring role so that they “feel seen, heard and supported across our hospitals and within the community.”
Those with a lanyard get free car parking at the CHFT hospital sites when bringing a loved one to an appointment or visiting them on wards. You simply need to present the lanyard to the staff on the main reception desk, who will validate your parking ticket. Speak to a member of staff who is helping to treat the person you care for, and they can arrange this for you. Alternatively, please email patientexperience@cht.nhs.uk and a member of the team will be in touch with you.
The Butterfly Scheme – For Dementia Patients
The Butterfly Scheme is for patients with dementia, delirium or other memory impairment. This helps staff to identify the person we are looking after through the placement of a
discreet butterfly symbol above their bed space. A person being cared for must be opted into the Scheme before the butterfly symbol can be used. If a patient has capacity, they can agree this for themselves. If a carer is present, they can agree this on their behalf. They only use the butterfly where the person they are looking after has a formal diagnosis of dementia from
either mental health services, their GP, or a specialist doctor such as those working in complex older people’s services or neurology.
Young Carers Support
It’s not just adults that support the people the hospitals look after. Young carers also provide invaluable support to their loved ones. The hospitals want you to feel supported and listened to within the hospital, so please let them know if you look after someone who could not manage without you. There are places you can go to for specialist support, to take part in activities and meet other young carers.
– Calderdale Young Carers Service – calderdaleyoungcarers@calderdale.gov.uk 01422 261207 or 0800 3895785
– Kirklees – Young Carers with Barnardo’s kirkleesyoungcarers@barnardos.org.uk 01484 426100
