Care for the Carers is delighted to announce that we have won the System Led Support for Carers Award at this year’s HSJ Awards.

Our initiative to provide intensive support to carers in Hastings secured our winning place. The project, which has been running for a number of months, focuses on carers who provide vital support to a family member, friend or neighbour who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction could not cope without their help.

The project aims to improve carers’ health and promote positive wellbeing, reduce carer crisis and family breakdown and deliver a consistent approach to give carers support. Carers who experience health inequalities as well as hidden carers, who are not known to local services, have been assisted through the project.

Working closely with High Glades Medical Centre and Hastings and Rother Healthcare – also known as Warrior Square Surgery, Hastings Old Town Surgery and Churchwood Surgery – we are proactively identifying and registering carers quickly so that they can be given the right healthcare and support when they need it.

The project so far has enabled 30% more carers* to receive one-to-one support, and supported GP practices to get help from the charity for many more local carers. Awareness about the impact of caring has also been improved, helping more carers to come forward and know that support is available.

The comprehensive awards assessment process involved a first round of remote judging – overseen by a panel of dedicated industry professionals – followed by a live presentation. Having successfully completed both of these highly competitive stages, Care for the Carers was awarded the distinguished accolade, standing out amongst an impressive shortlist.

Alastair McLellan, Health Service Journal Editor, says; “I’d like to offer my congratulations to Care for the Carers on winning the System Led Support for Carers Award. It is always so inspirational to see organisations adapting, developing and improving their services for the benefit of patients across the country. The sheer quality and standard of nominees is outstanding and all those shortlisted, highly commended or ultimately selected as a category winner, should be very proud of their contribution to healthcare excellence.”

On being awarded the accolade, Jennifer Twist, Chief Executive, Care for the Carers, says; “We are delighted and so proud to have been recognised by the HSJ Awards and named as the winner of the System Led Support for Carers Award. Winning an award of this calibre means a huge amount to everyone involved. This recognition reflects the collaborative efforts and dedication of our colleagues and partners who have worked so hard to successfully deliver this initiative. This HSJ Award will reinforce our efforts moving forward so that we can further develop and improve our services to support carers.”

Cllr. Carl Maynard, Lead Member for adult social care and health at East Sussex County Council, says: “This is a fantastic result for a great organisation, which provides such vital help and support to carers across the county. This award recognises Care for the Carers’ invaluable work to improve the health and wellbeing of carers in Hastings and is well deserved. Congratulations to everyone involved in the project.”

Jessica Britton, Executive Managing Director, East Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) says: “This award is hugely deserved. It is welcome recognition for the work that East Sussex Care for the Carers does to improve health outcomes for carers, who provide such valuable support to friends, family members and neighbours across the county.”

There are over 69,000 carers in East Sussex with 34,000 additional carers caring for someone because of the pandemic. Care for the Carers provides support for all unpaid carers in East Sussex. Find out more about our services here.

*Compared to 2020.