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NHS patients with severe mental illness waiting up to two years for treatment, report finds

Posted on 07/02/2018 - Filed under: Carers News,News

The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned that thousands of patients are waiting more than six months for access to psychological “talking therapies” to help them cope with negative thoughts and feelings.

However the true extent of the waiting time problem is likely to be much larger.

The BMA investigation found that just one in 10 local NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) who and just over half of mental health trusts keep track of how long these patients are waiting.

Doctors warned of a growing inequality faced by people with serious mental health problems who often need both medication and face to face therapies but have seen little improvement.

This contrasts to the efforts made in improving access to support for mild anxiety and depression thorugh the targets in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme.

The BMA made requests under the Freedom of Information Act to all 207 CCG, the bodies responsible for commissioning NHS services, and 54 NHS mental health trusts to ask them about waiting times for accessing talking therapies.

The organisations were asked about access to DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy), CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), family therapy and dynamic psychotherapy.

Of the 183 CCGs who replied, nine out of ten didn’t record any waiting times for talking therapies in severe mental illness.

While 22 out of 47 responding mental health trusts also don’t keep these records.

Of those who did keep records the BMA found 3,700 patients waited more than six months, and 1,500 waited more than a year.

The longest waits were in Leicestershire, where patients waited two years, and Essex and Derbyshire, where they waited for a year and a half.

But in Croydon more than a hundred children with a severe mental health problem were made to wait more than six months.

The BMA spoke to 20-year-old psychiatry student Nicola Mattocks who needed DBT and was self-harming and regularly taking overdoses, but had to wait a year and a half to get support.

“It had to get bad enough that I was hearing voices telling me to kill myself before I was taken on,” Ms Mattocks told the BMA.

It was about 18 months before I got the specific help I needed. When I got it, it was really useful, I learnt so much and made a book of things I can do when I’m feeling a certain way.

This could include routines like watching a film when she’s feeling sad, however two years ago she experienced mental health relapse and found she was back to square one.

“I was trying to get help again and I had to go back to the very back end of the waiting list.

“It feels like a battle I can’t win.

“I can’t put into words how serious it is, and the cost of waiting is immeasurable.

“While people are waiting, they’re still desperately trying to numb the pain they’re feeling, and while they do that inevitably some will die.”

Dr Sue Mizen, chair of the medical psychotherapy faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists said for severe mental illness “there is no comparable strategy” to the IAPT scheme.

“Policy makers must wake up to the fact that without strict measuring and recording of the therapies on offer, they are not only failing to provide adequate treatment for patients with severe and enduring mental health problems, but are also wasting vast amounts of money in the process by not providing patients with the appropriate psychological response.

“This results in repeated use of revolving door admissions leaving underlying problems unresolved.”

Dr Andrew Molodynski, BMA consultants committee mental health lead, said: “There is increasing inequality between people suffering mild to moderate mental ill health and those with severe mental illness.

“Without the right therapy, some patients deteriorate and become more vulnerable, being passed from GP surgeries to emergency departments unable to find the most appropriate treatment for their illness.”

“Funding for talking therapies should be protected so CCGs can ensure funding reaches services that need it most before it’s too late.”

Leila Reyburn, policy and campaigns manager at mental health charity, Mind, said: “It’s not uncommon to hear of waiting lists of well over a year for certain non-IAPT services.

“This isn’t acceptable. We know that when people get the help they need early on it can prevent them becoming more unwell.

“Making someone wait months and months to start a therapy risks making their mental health much worse, which isn’t good for the person and isn’t good for the NHS. We need to see significant investment in non-IAPT talking therapies.”

NHS England was approached for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.

Half Term Treat / Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring A Classic

Posted on 06/02/2018 - Filed under: Carers News,Events & Forums,News

The V&A will be drawing extensively from its own collection of drawings, letters, photographs and manuscripts to tell the story of the tremendous success of Hundred Acre Wood’s world-famous resident.

Southwark Carers will cover the costs for parent carers to take their child(ren) to the exhibit.

V&A Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL.

Please contact the office on 020 7708 4497 to find out more.

New blue badge rules to benefit people with hidden disabilities

Posted on - Filed under: Carers News,News

People with hidden disabilities could soon be entitled to blue badge car parking permits under Department for Transport proposals.

The DfT said the change would make it easier for people with conditions such as dementia and autism to travel to work, socialise and access shops and services in England.

It is hoped the move – which would be the biggest change to the blue badge scheme since it was introduced in 1970 – would help create parity in the treatment of physical and mental health.

The DfT said councils had different interpretations of existing rules, and only some recognised hidden disabilities. The new policy is designed to provide “clear and consistent” guidelines.

About 2.4 million disabled people in England have a blue badge. This enables them to park free of charge in pay-and-display bays and for up to three hours on yellow lines, while in London they exempt holders from having to pay the congestion charge.

Approximately three out of four blue badge holders say they would go out less often if they did not have one, according to the DfT.

The changes being put to an eight-week public consultation also include blue badge assessments being carried out by a greater variety of healthcare professionals who can spot whether mental illness is causing mobility problems.

Sarah Lambert, the head of policy at the National Autistic Society, welcomed the proposal and said amending parking permit access could be “a lifeline” for many autistic people, who often do not qualify under current regulations.

Autistic people can suffer anxiety from not being able to park in a predictable place close to their destination, and some can “experience too much information” from the environment around them on public transport, Lambert said.

“We hope the government will make this important change and we look forward to working with them to make sure that autistic people and their families benefit.”

Getting a diagnosis of dementia

Posted on 02/02/2018 - Filed under: Carers News,News

The importance of getting a diagnosis

We know that seeking a diagnosis can be scary or overwhelming, and some people feel that they’d rather delay finding out. There are four main reasons you should take steps to getting a diagnosis as soon as you can.

  • For some people, it can be a relief to know what their condition actually is, and why their memory, behaviour, or the way they feel is changing. A diagnosis also benefits the wider family and enables them to understand what is happening and how they can help.
  • A diagnosis helps the person with dementia and their family to get the best treatment, support and plans in place as soon as possible. This includes looking at finances, legal issues and making decisions for the present and the future.
  • A timely diagnosis can help the person stay well for longer by increasing their awareness the condition and how they and their family can make adjustments to improve their quality of life.
  • Although there is no cure for dementia at present, medication and other interventions can be used to help manage and lessen the symptoms.

How is a diagnosis made?

In the majority of cases, the GP will refer the person with symptoms suggestive of dementia to a memory service, clinic or specialist. However, before they do this they should assess whether the person has an underlying treatable condition, for example, depression, vitamin B12 deficiency, or abnormal thyroid function. In addition, they should also take blood tests, a chest X-ray (if necessary) and also a urine sample to rule out any other physical health issues. They will also briefly test the person’s cognitive abilities by asking the person to:

  • state what day and date it is
  • name some common items
  • remember something to test concentration and short term memory

If all physical or mental health conditions have been ruled out as possible causes of the changes in memory, behaviour and personality, the GP may then refer the person for further investigation. This could be at a memory service (a place for specialist assessment for diagnosing, treating and supporting people with dementia), at a clinic or with a specialist.

The memory service, clinic or specialist should:

  • take a detailed medical and family history from the person with symptoms of dementia and confirm the details with a family member. It is helpful if someone who knows the person well goes to the appointment, and has a conversation with the person conducting the assessment to help with this process, or writes a short letter outlining what the issues are.
  • test the person’s cognitive abilities by asking specific questions, sometimes called a ‘mental state examination’ or ‘cognitive testing’. These usually include tests of attention, memory, verbal fluency, language and ‘visuospatial’ abilities – in other words, judging the distance between objects. In addition, the memory service, clinic or specialist will ask questions about the person’s abilities with tasks of everyday living such as shopping, household tasks, self care and driving.
  • request an MRI or CT scan to examine the structure of the brain.

What if the person won’t visit the GP?

The person may be feeling frightened of getting a diagnosis and may think that they will lose their independence or have to go into care. In some cases, they may not understand that there are concerns about their memory or behaviour and deny they have a problem.

By giving someone reassurance that the symptoms may be due to another potentially treatable condition e.g. physical illness, depression or infection, they could become more willing to visit the GP. If the person simply refuses to go to the GP it is worth remembering that you can contact the surgery to explain the situation. The GP may be able to provide a home visit to speak to the person about their symptoms.

As someone close to them, you could write a letter, telephone or email the person’s GP outlining your concerns. The GP may not be prepared to discuss confidential information with you, but they should welcome relevant information about the person’s current health and concerns.

What if the GP won’t make a referral to a Memory Service or Clinic for a specialist assessment?

If you are experiencing difficulty getting a diagnosis, or if you have questions you can’t get answered, we’ll take the time to really understand the problem, and give you the expert support you need
to tackle it. Please call our Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or email [email protected] to talk through your situation with a specialist Admiral Nurse.

Major NHS trust put in special measures

Posted on 01/02/2018 - Filed under: Carers News,News

NHS Improvement announced the sanction against King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust the day after chairman Lord Kerslake resigned criticising the “unrealistic” approach to NHS finances.

The regulator said a deficit of £92m was now forecast this year – more than twice the original £38m planned for.

Chief executive Ian Dalton said the position was simply “not acceptable”.

“The financial situation at King’s has deteriorated very seriously over recent months,” he said.

“We understand that the wider NHS faces financial and operational challenges, and other trusts and foundation trusts have large deficits.

“However, none has shown the sheer scale and pace of the deterioration at King’s.

“It is not acceptable for individual organisations to run up such significant deficits when the majority of the sector is working extremely hard to hit their financial plans, and in many cases have made real progress.”

The regulator has already appointed a new interim chairman – former private health care boss Ian Smith – to replace Lord Kerslake. He will have to work with NHS Improvement’s team to carry out a review and agree a recovery plan, which will be closely monitored.

The BBC understands the move comes after NHS Improvement bosses met with Lord Kerslake on Friday, when he was warned special measures would be needed given the decline in financial performance.

In a statement, Lord Kerslake said of his decision to quit: “I do not do this lightly as I love King’s but believe the government and regulator are unrealistic about the scale of the challenge facing the NHS and the trust.

“I want to pay tribute to the staff and their excellent patient care.”

The peer also paid tribute to the “world-class” care given at the hospital, especially after the Westminster and London Bridge terror attacks, in a self-penned Guardian article.

He added: “There are undoubtedly things that I and the trust could have done better, there always are, but fundamentally our problems lie in the way that the NHS is funded and organised.”

Lord Kerslake carried out a review for Labour into the Treasury last year, but has denied there was any political motivation behind his comments.

Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the resignation was “embarrassing for the government”.

King’s College Hospital described Lord Kerslake as a “passionate advocate and champion” of the trust who had a “heartfelt commitment to staff and patients”.

It added that he had led King’s “through a challenging period which has also seen some notable successes, our response to three major incidents in London, the launch of the helipad and delivering some of the highest patient outcomes of any Trust in the UK”.

Ministry of Justice launches power of attorney fee refund scheme

Posted on - Filed under: Carers News,News

If you applied to register a lasting or enduring power of attorney with the Office of the Public Guardian between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2017 and subsequently paid a fee, you could be due a partial refund.

Why is the Ministry of Justice offering refunds?

Essentially, it’s because it’s now much cheaper to process a power of attorney than it used to be.

In April 2017, the Ministry of Justice lowered the application fee, which is why they’ve now decided to offer this refund.

This means if you applied for a power of attorney and paid between April 2013 and March 2017, you’re due some money back.

How much money can I get back?

It all depends on the date you applied for your power of attorney and whether you paid a reduced fee or repeat fee. The Office of the Public Guardian will confirm the specific amount once you’ve claimed.

How do I apply?

You need to contact the team at the Office of the Public Guardian

Find out more about power of attorney fee refunds

Visit the Office of the Public Guardian’s dedicated site for more information.

If the person applying for a refund doesn’t have internet access, they can call the refund helpline, selecting option 6
Tel: 0300 456 0300
Lines open: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am to 5pm, Wednesday 10am to 5pm

Number of young carers in UK soars by 10,000 in four years, figures show

Posted on 30/01/2018 - Filed under: Carers News,News

The number of recognised young carers in the UK has risen by more than 10,000 in four years, prompting concerns that they are taking up the slack from increasingly pressured adult social care services.

An analysis of the most recent government figures by The Independent shows that in May 2017 there were 41,870 16-to-24-year-olds who qualified to receive the carer’s allowance, compared with 31,080 in 2013 – an increase of 35 per cent.

Those aged 16 and 17 saw an even bigger rise during the same period – up by 54 per cent from 1,400 to 2,150.

Carer’s allowance is a benefit for people who spend at least 35 hours a week caring for disabled people in their own homes. It is currently worth £62.70 per week

While campaigners welcomed the fact that more young carers are receiving financial support, they warned that cuts to care packages and pressures on adult social care services mean more teenagers and young people are having to sacrifice work and study to care for relatives.

Laura Bennett, head of policy at Carer’s Trust, told The Independent: “It’s good that there are more people getting the allowance. It helps support them with the extra costs of caring which can avoid them missing out on other things.”

But she said that for some young carers it was not “easily obtainable or being reduced”.

She added: “This can leave them having to make difficult decisions about whether to stay in work or study, and having to claim carer’s allowance.”

Ms Bennett also raised concerns that the Care Act 2014, which placed a duty on local authorities to consider the needs of children and young people living in households where there is an adult who has a disability or impairment, was not being properly implemented because of a lack of financial resources available.

“We’re concerned that there isn’t enough funding to implement the act, both for young adults and also the people they support,” she said.

She added that this ”can leave young carers unable to pursue their own aspirations because of the amount of caring responsibilities”.

She said: “Some young people don’t experience any problems and can experience a big sense of pride and a sense of achievement. But if they don’t get the right support – which is often the case – it can leave them feeling stressed and worried. It can lead to them not having life chances that other young people do.

“We think a lasting solution needs to be found to the adult social care funding crisis, and we are calling on central government to find that solution so that local authorities have the funding they need to implement the duties they have under the Care Act.”

Responding to the figures, Barbara Keeley MP, Labour’s shadow minister for social care, said “Tory cuts” were responsible for a decline in the number of people eligible for publicly funded care.

This  meant the “burden” was falling “more and more on young family members”, she said.

She said: “Tory cuts to local authority funding will have seen £6.3bn taken out of adult social care budgets by March 2018 and the impact is clearly being felt both by people in need of care and, increasingly, younger carers.”

She added: “The Tories need to ease the social care crisis by giving the system the money it needs. Labour would invest £8bn across the Parliament with £1bn up-front this year.”

Simon Hopkins, chief executive of Turn2us, a charity that offers grants and advice to people struggling financially, said: “Caring for someone with a disability is a huge responsibility and most people become carers because someone close to them needs and relies on them.

What Is The PIP Review? How ‘Austerity’ Measure Backfired And Could Cost Government £3 Billion

Posted on - Filed under: Carers News,News

The court ruling in December, ministers previously said, could see 220,000 PIP claimants awarded higher payments.

Earlier estimates suggested it would impact 164,000 people’s benefits and would cost £3.7 billion by 2022.

So how did a decision aimed at saving money and improving the benefits process go so wrong?

It starts with Esther McVey, the very person whose return to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) this month, was met with such anger.

WHAT IS PIP?

The Personal Independence Payment was introduced in April 2013 during Esther McVey’s first stint at the DWP under then-Prime Minister David Cameron.

PIP will eventually replace the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and McVey said at the time that it would “better reflect today’s understanding of disability”.

Those receiving the new payment were required to undergo medical reassessment.

A DWP spokesperson said of the change: “PIP is a better benefit which takes a much wider look at the way an individual’s health condition or disability impacts them on a daily basis. Under PIP, 29% of claimants receive the highest rate of support compared to 15% under DLA.

“Decisions are made following careful consideration of all the information provided by the claimant, including supporting evidence from their GP or medical specialist. Anyone who disagrees with a decision can appeal.”

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

ELIGIBILITY – according to the Government

If you’re aged 16 to 64 you could get between £22 and £141.10 a week by claiming PIP.

The amount you get depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself, the Government website explains.

You’ll be assessed by a health professional to work out the level of help you can get. Your rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you’re getting the right support.

Your carer could get Carer’s Allowance if you have substantial caring needs.

PIP is broken into two parts – a daily living component and a mobility component.

A person’s need is judged through a points system. The more severe the impact in a particular area, the more points they get, and ultimately, the more money.

The assessment first looks at how the claimants’ condition affects their life in terms of day to day things, like their ability to cook a meal. The second part looks at mobility.

GOVUK

WHAT IMPACT DID IT HAVE?

HUFFPOST UK

After the change, private contractors Atos and Capita undertook benefit medical reassessments of claimants that led to more than 180,000 claims being disallowed.

Last year, a Freedom of Information request by The MS Society revealed nearly one in three people with multiple sclerosis – a seriously debilitating long-term condition – were having their claims for PIP turned down.

WHY DID IT END UP IN COURT?

In March last year, the Government introduced regulations limiting the amount of support people with psychological distress could receive for making journeys.

The change, which overturned the decision of an independent 2016 tribunal, prevented the award of a higher PIP mobility rate if someone was unable to take a familiar journey on their own unless it was “for reasons other than psychological distress”.

CITIZENS ADVICE

The DWP said at the time that a review found the assessment process may not be working as planned.

The department said: “A significant number of people are likely to be getting the benefit despite having minimal to no ongoing daily living extra costs”.

It further stated at the time that its data to December 2015 showed that one in three claimants, who receive the daily living component of PIP, did so only as a result of needing aids or appliances.

DWP health professionals reviewed some of these cases and, in 96% of them, found the likely extra costs of daily living were nil or low.

Many of the aids and appliances for which points are being awarded are likely to be already found in people’s homes, provided free by the NHS and local authorities, or can be bought cheaply, the DWP said.

The Public Law Project challenged the decision in the High Court on behalf of a woman with psychological difficulties.

In December, a judge ruled that the amendment “could not be objectively justified” and was “blatantly discriminatory” and in breach of human rights.

The judge said the Government’s claims that mental health sufferers require less support to travel were in breach of the Human Rights Act, and amounted to no more than “subjective opinion”.

The judge also found that the Secretary of State did not have lawful power to make the regulations without consultation, because they went against the very purpose of what the PIP regime sought to achieve.

This landmark ruling is a damning indictment of the Government’s discriminatory approach to PIP support and its refusal to make this support available to people with mental health conditions.”Debbie Abrahams, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary

The Government previously indicated it would appeal the decision, but on January 19 McVey ruled out fresh legal action in a written statement to Parliament, meaning thousands of people could be entitled to more benefits.

She said: “My department will now take all steps necessary to implement the judgment in mental health in the best interests of our claimants, working closely with disabled people and key stakeholders over the coming months.

“Although I and my department accept the High Court’s judgment, we do not agree with some of the detail contained therein. Our intention has always been to deliver the policy intent of the original regulations, as approved by Parliament, and to provide the best support to claimants with mental health conditions.”

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

The Government has pledged to review all 1.6 million disability benefit claims and has said this could see 220,000 PIP claimants awarded the higher payments.

Following the court decision, ministers estimated it would affect 164,000 people’s benefits and would cost £3.7 billion by 2022.

HOW WAS THE NEWS RECEIVED?

Philip Connolly, policy manager at Disability Rights UK, wrote: “Many disabled people have lost out because of changeover from DLA to PIP, and we welcome the announcement that the government is going to review 1.6 million cases.

“We hope this doesn’t mean that some disabled people are going to have to attend yet more assessments.

“This review highlights the ongoing and persistent failures of the assessment process, which is badly designed and implemented. Huge amounts of tax payer’s money is being wasted on poor quality assessments which deny disabled people benefits that they qualify for – that’s one of the reasons the success rate at appeal is so high.

“We urge all disabled people who are turned down for benefits they believe they should get to use the independent appeals process.”

MPs launch inquiry into long-term adult social care funding

Posted on 26/01/2018 - Filed under: Carers News,News

MPs are to hold a Parliamentary inquiry into the long-term funding of adult social care ahead of the government’s green paper on care and support for older people.

The joint inquiry by Parliament’s Health and Communities and Local Government committees will focus on how the funding for adult social care can be made sustainable in the long term and what mechanisms could be used to get politicians and the public to agree on a solution.

The cross-party committees, which scrutinise the work of government, plan to report on their findings in May and are currently calling for written evidence submissions.

The deadline for making a written submission is 7 March after which the committees are likely to hold public hearings on the issue.

Consensus needed

The committees intend to publish the findings of the inquiry in May, ahead of the green paper which is expected to be published this summer.

The Local Government Association (LGA) welcomed the decision to investigate the long-term funding of adult social care.

“The committees are absolutely right to focus on long-term funding solutions and how to build political and public support for them,” said councillor Izzi Seccombe, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board.

“We do not need a major overhaul of our care and support system; the Care Act provided that and the vision it sets out in legislative terms enjoys widespread support. What we need is consensus on funding solutions so the Care Act vision can be realised.”

“An essential foundation for long-term reform is greater awareness amongst the public of why adult social care matters in its own right.

“Everyone who has a stake in our care system should help build this awareness. Similarly, progress is only likely to be made if there is a cross-party consensus on a way forward. The LGA stands ready to help build that consensus.”

Funding gap

The LGA estimates that there will be a £2.3 billion funding gap in adult social care by 2020.

The inquiry follows earlier reports from both the Health and Communities and Local Government committees highlighting the need to find a sustainable solution to the funding of adult social care.

In March 2017, a Communities and Local Government Committee report recommended using national taxation to plug the funding gap.

 

Story is reproduced courtesy of Community Care – http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2018/01/25/mps-launch-inquiry-long-term-adult-social-care-funding/

Young Carers Aged Under 10 Are Having To Care For Family Through The Night

Posted on - Filed under: Carers News,News

Dania Gloureiro, 8, is a carer for her mother Isobel who has a rare cancer called Pecoma, which forms in the body’s soft tissue. Doctors have predicted she has a life expectancy of just six months.

Dania told HuffPost UK she regularly shares her mum’s bed to check on her during the night: ″She doesn’t even know I’m doing it but I’m awake because I’m worrying about her,” she said.

“Mum tends to sleep pretty badly so most nights I just get in her bed so I don’t keep having to get up to check that she’s still okay,” Dania explained. ”Then I know I’m right there in case she needs me.”

 “The tablets make her very drowsy and she sleeps a lot. She has a fever sometimes. At night I grab magazines and fan her to cool down while she is sleeping.

“When she is really in pain I just lie down next to her and she says hearing my heartbeat helps with the pain. Sometimes I massage her legs if they are sore or I get her her crutches or wheelchair ready.

“I do what I can to help but I think mostly I am there to just cheer mum up when she is feeling down.”

I’m awake because I’m worrying about her…”Dania, 8

Giles Meyer, CEO of  Carers Trust said: “It is a tragic situation that children who have barely started school are losing sleep. which is so significant to their development.

“They are being exposed to, and handling, issues such as their siblings or parents having panic attacks or epileptic seizures when they should be getting important rest.”

This nighttime burden is in addition to daytime activities, which 80% of young carers do every day of the week. These include, one in 10 children going to the supermarket on their own to buy food for their family.

The charity says the data highlights the “shocking amount” that children between the ages of five and seven are required to do.

Another young carer, Lottie Fox, 22, has cared for her brother Harvey, 19, since he was born, and she was just two years old: “I’ve always kind of acted as a second mother to him,” she said.

Harvey has Angelman syndrome, a complex genetic disorder that primarily affects the nervous system. He also has a poor sleep schedule, waking up every night around 3am and wanting to start his day at around 5am.

“Sleep has always been one of the major issues in my household,” Lottie said.

“I was always a light sleeper as a child as I knew there was the possibility of needing to offer my parents a hand with getting Harvey back to sleep, especially if he was having an epileptic seizure. I often slept with an audio book or earplugs to drown out the noise of him playing with his toys throughout the night.”

She remembers being tired at school and struggling to focus as a result.

“I would sometimes come home after school and have a nap, which then left me less time to do homework or see friends,” she said.

“I would feel guilty doing this as I knew my parents had even worse sleep patterns than I did, and they were both working and non-stop caring for Harvey. I felt it was my duty to help.”

Carers Trust helps young carers and young adult carers (up to the age of 24) to cope with their caring role through specialised services.The charity works closely with a network of 150 local services and partners across the UK. Carers Trust has now set up a Text To Give service whereby members of the public can text YCAD18 £5 or £10 to 70070 to donate to Carers Trust.

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