Gwenda Thomas, deputy minister for children and social services, explains how new regulations will ensure carers’ needs are met

CHRISTMAS is a time when many of us will be with our families and loved ones.

For some of us, the time we spend together may become too much of a good thing. But for the thousands of people with caring responsibilities, there is often no let-up over the Christmas period.

Unpaid carers do vital work, carrying out up to 95% of care in the community supporting families and friends. Without their crucial contribution, the care system would collapse.

The regulations, which come into force on New Year’s Day, will ensure carers’ information and consultation needs are met. These are the types of things carers have repeatedly told me they would benefit from, which is why I focussed on legislating in these areas first.

The Measure places a duty on designated authorities to prepare, publish and implement a strategy for the benefit of unpaid carers. These strategies will set out how information and guidance will be provided to carers to assist them in carrying out their caring role effectively.

They will also set out how carers will be consulted and involved in decisions affecting them and those they care for.

Carers have told me the Measure needs to be rolled out to the health services first as they were struggling to engage with them. The first designated authorities, therefore, are health boards, NHS trusts and local authority social services.

Health boards will be expected to work with key partner authorities, including social services, third sector organisations and GPs, in designing and delivering these strategies.

They have been made the lead authorities so they are responsible for coordinating the development of local strategies. I believe this ownership will help ensure the strategies make a real impact.

Given the health boards’ lead status, the Welsh Government has also decided to allocate £5.8m in funding over the next three years to support the Measure’s implementation, but with the clear requirement they work together with their partner authorities and the funding is shared accordingly.

My commitment to joint working is clear. Carers undoubtedly benefit when the organisations providing services to them work in this way.

I want the designated authorities to be clear about what is required of them. Indeed, many of the organisations have asked for clarity on what is required of them and, for this reason, the regulations are deliberately prescriptive.

Carers also need to know what they can expect and I believe the regulations and associated guidance do much to achieve that. Over the next few months, the designated authorities will be starting their work to train staff in all aspects of the Measure, regulations and guidance.

They will also be consulting with carers and third sector organisations on the development of local strategies.

The regulations require the designated authorities submit their local strategies to me by October 31. Once I have approved them, the work of implementing them and getting the support to carers can really begin.

The Measure and the regulations require the production of an annual report to be submitted to Welsh ministers detailing the progress that has been made with implementing and monitoring the strategy and the local strategies must be reviewed every 18 months to ensure that they are still fit for purpose.

This way, the strategies will change to reflect changing circumstances.

Carers deserve our support and these regulations are aimed at helping them in the important work they do.

I hope you had a restful Christmas and I wish you all the best for 2012.

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