The Charity recognises that not all carers in Helensburgh and Lomond can readily access the Carers’ Centre in Helensburgh and the development of the Outreach Service was identified as a key Organisational Objective. In June 2009, we recruited a part-time Outreach Carer Support Worker, to implement and develop the new Outreach Service, which aimed to improve the support available to carers in the remote parts of Helensburgh and Lomond and strengthen existing links with GP Practices, healthcare staff and social care services.
The Service was launched in September 2010 and initially focused on visits to the 5 healthcare centres in the area and establishing links with local GPs and their staff. This has resulted in close and strengthened relationships with all the Practices and the community nursing staff are now making regular referrals to us and are keen to continue to develop this relationship. Our promotional leaflets are placed in the surgeries and there are designated display areas for news stories and information that may be of interest to carers.
Also in September 2009, additional funding was secured from the Highland NHS Carer Information Strategy, which allowed the Support Worker’s hours to be increased from 20 to 29 hours per week. This made a huge difference and meant that more home visits could be carried out and time could be spent organising local events and activities in the rural areas.
In December 2009 we were successful in a bid to the Joint Health Improvement Partnership to carry out a 3 month pilot project taking holistic therapy sessions to rural locations. The therapy sessions were delivered in the Physiotherapy room at Kilcreggan Health Centre, which was secured free of charge, and 12 carers participated. The pilot proved so successful that a further funding bid was submitted to the Joint Health Improvement Partnership for match funding to allow the initiative to continue in Kilcreggan and roll it out to the Health Centres in Arrochar and Garelochhead in 2010/11. Additional funding from different sources has allowed the delivery of holistic therapy sessions at the Health Centres to continue and this has been greatly appreciated by carers living in these areas.
In January 2012, the Charity secured funding through the Argyll & Bute Community Health Partnership Change Fund to support the Scottish Government’s ‘Reshaping Care for Older People Programme,’ which allowed an additional part-time Support Worker to be recruited and the existing post made full-time. The additional Support Worker’s role focuses on older carers and the expansion of the Service to other rural areas.
Christine MacTaggart is our current Outreach Staff member and can be contacted at the Carers Centre.