Category Archives: Carers

Sharing a cuppa to help cancer battle

October 1, 2012   Cancer, Carers, young carers

Published on Monday 1 October 2012 08:19

SOUTH Shields MP David Miliband took time out to join children affected by cancer at a Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

The event was hosted by Macmillan Young Carers’ service at Ridgeway Children’s Centre in Park Avenue, South Shields.

Former Foreign Secretary Mr Miliband said: “I am delighted to meet the young people and their families – Macmillan does a first-class job, and I am pleased to support its efforts in raising much-needed money for a very worthwhile charity.”

The young carers’ service supports children from five to 18, who are caring for a parent with cancer.

Sarah Raistrick, young carers’ service awareness co-ordinator, who organised the coffee morning, said: “We’re delighted that Mr Miliband took time out of his busy schedule to help support both the children we work with and Macmillan Cancer Support.”

It was one of many coffee mornings taking place throughout the borough.

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Scotland: Patients get new right to treatment within 12 weeks

September 30, 2012   Carers, Scotland
30 September 2012 Last updated at 09:12

Patients get new right to treatment within 12 weeks

GP generic. Pic by Adam Gault/Science photo Library An independent advice service has also been set up for NHS patients across Scotland

Patients have a legal right to receive treatment within a maximum 12 weeks of diagnosis under new laws.

It means those who need planned inpatient or day case treatment will be covered by a treatment time guarantee.

They will have a legal right to receive it within a maximum of 12 weeks from when they are diagnosed and agree to the treatment.

The guarantee is one of the rights in the Charter of Patient Rights and Responsibilities.

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Mental health ‘costs UK £105bn pa’

September 29, 2012   Carers, mental health

Norman Lamb said mental illness is ‘ignored too often’ by the political classes

The Government must go further in prioritising mental health services and addressing under-provision in the sector, Liberal Democrats have agreed.

Delegates at the party’s autumn conference in Brighton backed a motion calling on the coalition to ensure mental health policies were being implemented on the ground.

Norman Lamb, newly appointed Minister for Care Services, spoke of the “vast” cost to society and the economy of mental illness, saying the issue was “ignored too often” by the political classes.

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