Carers surgeries take place in GP practices across Bristol & South Glos. They allow us to meet carers at a convenient location closer to their home.
Carers surgeries increase capacity at GP practices by freeing up GP appointment time and ensuring carers are offered dedicated support in their caring role. Could an appointment help you?
What happens at a carers surgery appointment?
Carers surgery appointments give carers an opportunity to meet with a worker from Carers Support Centre, talk about their caring role, how it affects them, and what support might help. You might be new to caring, have been caring for some time, or perhaps your caring role has changed and you need more support.
A Carers Assessment can be completed at this appointment. This helps you plan how to look after yourself and continue caring, which might include being referred to other services, receiving a carers Direct Payment toward the cost of a short break, or exploring other ways of supporting your wellbeing.
We can arrange a further appointment, or refer you to one of our Carer Support Officers, if further time and support is needed.
How often and how long?
Most carers surgeries are held on a monthly basis and in Bristol they last for an hour. In South Gloucestershire we have recently increased the appointment time to 1.5 hours as the assessment process takes longer.
How can I book an appointment?
You can book directly with your GP practice at any of the practices listed. Please speak to a member of the practice staff. Our Carer Support Officer will call you a couple of days before your appointment to introduce themselves and answer any questions about the appointment before you meet.
How will the appointment help me?
Feedback shows that carers surgery appointments provide a valuable space to talk about the impact caring has. Often carers tell us it’s the first time they have talked about themselves rather than the person they care for.
One carer said: “Thank you for all the information and resources that you made available and for giving me a sanctuary point, a place of possibilities when things feel absolutely impossible. Having the chance to even name some of the things that we are working through and recognise they are impacting on lives was really helpful and made me feel really validated not just guilty because there is never enough to give. Talking things through also highlighted we have choices. Thank you for doing such important work.”
Where do they take place?
Bristol
• Horfield Health Centre • Monks Park Surgery • Westbury on Trym Primary Care Centre (Westbury on Trym, Fallodon Way, Greenway, Sea Mills, Helios) • Southmead Surgery • Pioneer Surgery, Bradgate • Pioneer Surgery, Ridingleaze • Beechwood Medical Practice • Fishponds Family Practice • Old School Surgery • Southville Surgery • Bedminster Family Practice • Gaywood House
South Glos
• Almondsbury • Pilning • Cadbury Heath • Close Farm Surgery • Frome Valley Medical Centre • Hanham Health Centre • Kingswood Health Centre • Orchard Medical Centre • St Mary Street Surgery • Oldland Surgery • Stoke Gifford Medical • Thornbury Health Centre (both practices)
This article appeared in the Spring 2019 issue of Carers News. Read more news for local carers: download Carers News.
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