A new lanyard has introduced in Macclesfield will make hospital trips and public visits easier for families of those with a vulnerable adult.

Building on the success of patient passports which are embedded across the trust to support patients with learning disabilities, autism and dementia, the trust has rolled out the new Cheshire and Merseyside carers passport scheme this week to coincide with Carer's Rights Day.

The new initiative will be implemented in trusts across the region to standardise the experience of carers who provide support to relatives, partners, or friends during their stay in hospital and following their discharge.

A carer is anyone who provides help, usually unpaid, with a wide range of tasks such as shopping, cleaning, and assisting with medication.

They may also offer emotional or financial support and help the individual they care for to communicate. A carers' knowledge and experience can be enormously beneficial to the patient if they are admitted to hospital as they can often help inform nursing and other staff members about the most appropriate treatment and care plan for the patient's best interests.

By adopting the passport, carers will be able to agree their level of involvement in the patients' care plan and will feel fully informed about what additional help is available to them. The passport will also signpost carers to further sources of support and information.

The lanyard can also be used in public, to help staff be more empathetic or understanding of individuals and their families affected by special care needs.

Jackie Wiles cares for her son who has autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy and learning disabilities; "When my son has been admitted to A+E in the past, the staff have been excellent in recognising his needs.

"During his childhood I have been listened to, however, I feel anxious now he is an adult over the age of 18 that I may not be as involved if he is admitted again.

"Therefore, if there was a carers passport available, I would feel assured that staff would be able to recognise his needs and also the need for my involvement in his care whilst at hospital."

The passes are completely free. And are designed to make life easier for everyone.

Kate Daly-Brown, Director of Nursing and Quality at East Cheshire NHS Trust said, "We strive to promote a culture that recognises carers, their needs and their benefits to patients within our hospital.

"While we operate a number of 'Carer Friendly' initiatives across the organisation, support to carers can vary enormously across the region so it's fantastic to be collaborating with our partners in Cheshire and Merseyside on this uniformed approach."

The Hospital Carer Passport scheme will be offered across the trust with printed copies available at the trust and a downloadable version available on the website here.

Carers will be required to complete the carer partnership agreement within the passport and submit this to the ward staff. The ward manager or nurse in charge will be on hand to discuss any individual needs.

See also in Macclesfield: Macclesfield A&E departments 'extremely busy' with no sign of slowing down.

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