We never know what’s going to happen, therefore, it’s good practice to have a plan in place to support you and the person you care for in the case that something unexpected was to happen to you.
A good Contingency Plan will ensure that replacement support and care will be organised with minimal disruption to the person you care for and will give you peace of mind knowing your loved one will be looked after.
Below you will find a selection of resources that may help with these situations. Please complete them in in as much detail as possible and store them in a safe place.
Carers Hub Service Contingency Plan
Carers Hub Service Contingency Plan Download
Above you can find a copy of the Carers Hub Service Contingency Plan, which you can download and either fill in by hand or fill on a computer and print. Make sure that you store a copy of the plan in a safe and accessible location so that the form can be accessed if needed.
GP Carers Register
A Carers Register is a secure list on the GP computer system that shows the surgery team which patients are providing unpaid care to someone with a long–term health condition and care needs, this could be a child and/or adult who is a friend or related to them.
Registering as a carer with your GP can help with the following
- Your GP Surgery to understanding your caring role more
- Your GP Surgery offering you useful carers information and support
- Your GP Surgery offering you priority flu vaccinations
- The GP Surgery offering flexibility with your appointments to support your caring role and maintain your own health needs.
- The GP Surgery gaining consent to share information and make referrals for support for you and your loved one
To make the process of registering as a carer with your GP easier, we have created a form that can be filled in and the either handed in or sent to your GP surgery asking them to register you as a carer, this can be found below
GP Carers Registration Letter
My Support Network
My Support Network is an initiative launched to help people understand the care their loved ones are receiving in their own homes. It aims to enable people in the community to have a better understanding of who is providing support to them.
The initiative allows relatives, carers, professionals, and health care providers to input their contact information, and this information is then available to all parties included on the form. The document will then be stored in the home of the relevant person in a yellow folder, and can be edited at any time if support changes.
The aim of the document is to keep information together in one place – who has been involved in support as well as their contact information, and ensure that people receive the support that they need.
You can download the My Support Network file here
Below is an example of the document
About Me
The ‘About Me’ is all about you. It tells healthcare professionals what matters to you. It helps us to get to know you and understand what is important to you, because you are the expert of you and are more than a health condition! It may be helpful to complete this form and have it ready for you to take with you to appointments in health and care services.
You can find the About Me Form here
Herbert Protocol
The Herbert Protocol is a form that provides the police and other emergency services with essential information about the person with dementia if they go missing.
The form is completed in advance and a copy kept safely online and/or at the person’s home or care home. If the person goes missing, the form can be handed to the police, giving them the information they need to start searching straight away – rather than family and friends having to remember details in a stressful situation.
The form records important details about the person, including:
- Physical description and a recent photograph
- Medical information and details of any medication the person needs
- Places that are significant to the person
- Their daily routine
- Previous addresses and places they might visit, for example former workplaces
- Contact details for family and friends
You can download a copy of the form below