Parliament

Carers

I supported National Carers Week and believe that carers need to be viewed as key partners in community care.

There are six million people in this country who provide unpaid help and support to relatives and friends, who could not otherwise manage because of frailty, illness or disability.  However, large numbers of them are unknown to statutory agencies and a huge majority of them say that their health has been affected by caring.

I have called on local health authorities to establish the introduction of annual health checks for carers.  I believe it is most important that carers have proper access to support and services.

I held an Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons on the 2nd November, 2006, about the case of one of my constituents who was a carer to her father.  Following the debate, the Government announced the provision of £33 million in an initiative known as the New Deal for Carers.

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