• The Trust Adult Protection Gateway Team (APGT) currently operates a hybrid model in
the protection of adults at risk from abuse, exploitation or neglect. The Trust will move to
a phased implementation of a single point of contact for all adult protection referrals via
the adult protection gateway team
• Improve internal communication and sharing of information in respect to care homes
and domiciliary care providers
• The Trust welcomes the opportunity to learn from the Domestic Homicide Reviews to
Northern Ireland during 2020.
NEXT STEPS
The Carer Support Service operates to develop a
support infrastructure for carers known to the Trust.
It is a central point of contact for carers to receive
advice, information, signposting and referral to
other relevant services. The Carer Support Service
in the Trust continues to support carers through
a number of services including carer information
sessions, wellbeing events, activities and short break
programmes.
All Programmes of Care in Adult Services in the Trust are now using the Carers Conversation
Wheel tool to complete assessments for carers. The rollout of the tool to the Older People's
Service was completed in June 2019. Carers have continued to report the benefits of the
therapeutic intervention and the time provided to them to talk about the impact of the caring role
on their everyday lives. Staff have also been very positive about the tool and are actively involved
in using the Carers Conversation with Carers.
As a result, completed carer assessments have increased by 38.4% in Older People's Services
and by 25.8% across all Programmes of Care compared with last year's figures. The numbers
of carer assessments offered has risen by 15.4%. There are still challenges with the numbers of
assessments declined and these figures remain high. The main reason reported for this is that
carers feel they do not need any support or additional support.
Carer One Off Payments are payments provided to carers to promote health and wellbeing by
having a short break from the caring role. There have been 1414 payments made and approved
from April 2019 - March 2020 for carer short breaks.The requests from Older People's Services
have increased by 71% from this period last year and there has been an overall increase from all
programmes of care of 24.7% on last year's figures.
In relation to events, carer support has hosted 34 carer wellbeing events with 805 carers in
attendance, up from 11 events last year. Events have been more regular and localised to meet
carer needs; events have been varied and have appealed to all age groups. Carers have noted
that attendance at events has resulted in decreased isolation and provided peer support and
carers have reported improvements in their health and wellbeing.
Carer Support
132 Goal 5: Integrating the Care - Social Care