The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published draft quality standards for the provision of support for an adult (≥18 years) who provides unpaid care for one or more people aged over 16 years with health and social care needs. It does not cover people who provide paid care or do so as voluntary work.
NICE quality standards set out the priority areas for quality improvement in health and social care. They cover areas where there is a variation in care. Each standard is based on published NICE guidance and provides a set of statements to help the service improve quality as well as information on how to measure progress.
The draft quality standard states that practitioners firstly need to identify people who are unpaid carers, so they can direct them to the advice and support that is available.
Further statements advise that carers should be involved in the care planning of the person they care for, with the person’s consent, so they can share information with practitioners and to make certain they are prepared and able to manage their caring responsibilities.
Additionally, it recommends that regular carers' assessments take into consideration what matters most to a carer, such as well-being and social care needs, work, education or training, so that the appropriate support can be made available. The quality standard also emphasises the value of regular breaks from caring.
Finally, the quality standard advises practitioners to encourage carers to discuss supportive working arrangements with their employers. This might include flexible hours or providing a private space to take personal phone calls, as well as other initiatives that support mental well-being.
The draft quality standard is out for public consultation until 9 November 2020 and can be accessed here.
This article originally appeared on Univadis, part of the Medscape Professional Network.
