Carers Week
9 – 15 June, 2008
Macmillan was once again an official partner in this year's Carers Week. Carers Week is organised by ten leading charities to support the UK's six million carers.
'Carers can't afford to be ill' was the theme for Carers Week 2008, which focused on the health and well-being of carers, and highlighted their need for better support and services.
Our key aims for Carers Week were to:
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highlight and celebrate the contribution made by carers
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campaign for better support and services for carers
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promote policies and best practice that can improve carers' quality of life
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reach out to 'hidden' carers, ensuring they know where to find help and support.
You can find out more information on the Carers Week website: www.carersweek.org.uk.
Why is Macmillan a member of the Carers Week partnership?
Supporting carers is an important and growing part of Macmillan's work. We currently support people caring for someone with cancer in a number of ways, including through our helplines, a network of befriending and carer support services, and our information and support services located across the UK.
By participating in Carers Week we hope to achieve the following:
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raise public awareness of Macmillan's support and services for carers
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raise public awareness of the issues for people caring for someone with cancer
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network and further develop our relationship with key national carer organisations and policy makers.
Being a partner in Carers Week enables us to have a strategic input into the development of the themes and materials, to ensure that the needs of carers of people living with cancer are highlighted. We can also ensure these carers become more engaged in the support available from organisations involved in Carers Week.
Macmillan will again be an official partner in Carers Week 2009.
Carers Champions in Primary Care Trusts
The carers week campaign to ensure that every PCT has a carers lead has now ended. The outcome is that the majority of PCTs do have carers leads. Thank you to those of you who wrote to the Chief Executive of your PCT to ensure carers needs are being met locally.