Herts Valleys CCG pledges commitment to unpaid carers

Borehamwood Times: Dr Nicholas Small pledges his commitment to carers Dr Nicholas Small pledges his commitment to carers

An organisation responsible for delivering NHS services in Hertfordshire has pledged its support to the county’s unpaid carers.

Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has signed Hertfordshire County Council’s Commitment to Carers strategy, which aims to improve the way carers are treated.

The county has 110,000 people who provide unpaid support to family or friends who could not manage without this help.

They provide the equivalent of £2.1 billion worth of unpaid care every year, almost as much as Hertfordshire’s entire health and social care budget.

The Commitment to Carers strategy is designed to encourage Hertfordshire organisations to improve the lives of these carers and ensure they have access to the support they need.

The CCG will have carer champions in each of its GP practices, which would identify carers and make sure they are referred to organisations that can help them.

Local GP and chairman of the CCG Dr Nicolas Small signed the commitment on behalf of the organisation.

He said: “I am delighted to sign this commitment on behalf of Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group.

“Whilst doing so I want to pay tribute to those people who care for a relative, friend or a loved one.  It is almost impossible to overstate the enormous difference they make to the lives of those for whom they care and also to local health and social care services.

“Without carers, local services would be under even greater pressure so we want to acknowledge, support and thank them for all that they do.”

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