More help for carers and patients urged

Local authority care support services are frequently failing to
meet the needs of people suffering long-term conditions and their
carers, new research reveals.

A survey of 52 service users, carers and voluntary workers carried
out by the Long-term Medical Conditions Alliance (LMCA) and
Neurological Alliance reports that many feel care support workers
regularly fail to offer adequate standards of care for the service
user. Low status, pay and morale of care support workers are all
factors in this.

In addition, carers do not see themselves as properly valued and
say they lack adequate support. Respite care is difficult to obtain
and often does not meet people’s requirements.

The findings show that people with long-term conditions say they
often feel discriminated against and have little or no input into
the care they receive. However, the attitudes and awareness of
health and social care professionals were described as presenting
the biggest barrier to access.

The survey was carried out between September and December 2003.

David Pink, chief executive of the LMCA, said the findings showed
the “vital need” for a keyworker to explain what services clients
and their carers were entitled to and the support they
needed. 

– Report from www.lmca.org.uk/pdfs/nsf_pdfs/LMCA_NSF_Report.pdf