Minutes:
Jenni Pringle, Care Operations Manager, and Sheila Hargreaves, Adult Clubs and Volunteering Manager, for Crossroads Care Surrey informed the Committee that the organisation was a leading charity which had been providing vital respite breaks to unpaid carers in Surrey for over 30 years.
It was reported that 3 in 5 people would become an unpaid carer in their lifetime and every day 6,000 people would start caring for someone close to them, saving the economy £119 billion a year. It was noted that in September 2014 Carers UK had reported that 6 out of 10 carers had been pushed to breakpoint.
Crossroads Care Surrey covered the whole of Surrey and had approximately 1,800 clients of all ages. It had over 200 Carer Support Workers who would go into people’s homes and take over the caring responsibility for a specific amount of time. It was emphasised that the carer was the person providing the service; the Carer Support Workers supported them in this role.
The Committee was informed that Crossroads Care Surrey’s core service was providing carer breaks. It provided regular respite breaks of 3 hours, funded by Surrey County Council, on a weekly or fortnightly basis depending upon the carer’s needs. This would usually be on the same day, at the same time, with the same Carer Support Worker. This allowed the family to get to know their Care Support Worker and enabled the Support Worker to understand the family’s needs and build trust. Carers were also able to purchase additional hours to add to their break or have an additional break on a different day.
Crossroads Care Surrey, in partnership with the NHS, offered a Professional End of Life Service which provided individually tailored practical and compassionate support to carers and people affected by life limiting illnesses during their last 12 months. A palliative care trained Carer Support Workers would take over the caring role to allow a carer to have regular breaks to help improve their quality of life and reduce stress and fatigue they might experience as a result of their caring role. This service was funded by all 5 of the Clinical Commissioning Groups in Surrey.
The Committee was informed that, before going into a carer’s home, Carer Support Workers received training; they undertook 13 mandatory training courses, plus any specialist training required.
It was reported that many of the organisation’s Carer Support Workers had worked for Crossroads Care Surrey for many years; 1 Carer Support Worker had been working with a family for 25 years. The Carer Support Workers undertook a range of activities which improved the quality of a cared for person’s life, including interacting with the cared for person, meal or drink preparation, light domestic duties, or attending to personal or health care needs. It was noted that respite time could also allow the opportunity for parents caring for a disabled child to spend time with other children.
Crossroads Care Surrey also had a variety of clubs for adults with varying disabilities which were run throughout Surrey. Whilst some of these clubs provided a safe environment for cared for people, in order for carers to enjoy an extended respite break, other clubs provided carers an opportunity to meet other carers and receive support and advice from trained professionals.
Members were informed that the organisation was compliant with the Care Quality Commission and Ofstead, and was monitored annually by Crossroads Care Quality Evaluation Tool (CROQUET). An annual carers’ questionnaire continued to demonstrate the organisation’s improvement, with 98% of carers stating that they got on well with their Carer Support Worker and 98% saying their quality of life was improved by their respite breaks.
The Committee discussed opportunities for the Council to help promote the organisation and its work in the community. It was therefore agreed to ask the Council’s Media and Marketing Manager to liaise with officers from Crossroads Care Surrey.
RESOLVED
i) to note and thank Ms Hargreaves and Ms Pringle for their presentation; and
ii) that officers be asked to discuss appropriate methods to publicise Crossroads Care Surrey, as outlined above.