7. Carers’ rights

Carers’ rights

12) Future planning for carer needs – How you can become involved

Carers like you are the experts in the real solutions and problems of caring for a person after stroke. Your skills and experiences are valuable in helping others and in driving forward improvements in care for stroke. If you would like to be involved there are many ways and organisations waiting for your input. Some will offer you training and others will contact you for comments about new policies or proposed service changes.

  • Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland – Voices Scotland.
    This project has been developed to link patients and carers with health professionals. To improve care and services by giving you the chance to say what you want and need when services are being planned, changed or redesigned. Carers Voices and Stroke Voices information can be found on the main Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland website or call 0131 225 6963 and ask for Voices Scotland. Training will be given if you want to be involved.
  • Scottish Health Council – Public Partnership Forums. For all NHS service users to have a say on influencing how services develop.
  • Voices Scotland Members of the general public, users of NHS services or their carers, people who we have recruited specifically to work with NHS Health Improvement Scotland (NHS HIS) on a voluntary basis and people they work with in the voluntary sector.
  • Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network – (SIGN) Works with patients and carers to review best stroke care and practice from published research.
  • Carersnet– Coalition for carers Scotland Provide networking, information and mutual support for carer-led organisations in Scotland. Brings carers and workers together to explore issues, analyse developments and identify key issues affecting carers in Scotland. Develop a collective response to key issues enabling members of the Coalition to bring their concerns to the attention of interested parties at local, regional and national level. To get involved visit their web page.
  • The Carers Trust: Find your local carer centre.
  • For a range of useful Health Information essential guides and factsheets to support you as a stroke carers visit CHSS Reources Hub