This week, we were delighted to deliver our Carer Champion Training for health professionals as part of our ongoing commitment to creating Carer Friendly Communities across Birmingham.
Carers are present in every NHS setting – at GP appointments, outpatient clinics, community services, and hospital wards. Too often, they are focused on the person they support and do not identify themselves as Carers. This can mean they miss out on vital information, advice, and support for their own wellbeing.
Our Carer Champion Training for Health Professionals brings together our specialist Health Liaison work with our wider Carer Friendly Communities programme. By combining these approaches, we ensure that health professionals not only understand who unpaid Carers are, but also feel confident to identify, respond and connect them to appropriate support.
One participant said:
“[the training was] very informative and helpful. The session has given me valuable knowledge and greater confidence in my role”
17 New Carer Champions
We are proud to share that 17 attendees have completed the online training so far. As a result, there is now a trained Carer Friendly Carer Champion in 13 GP surgeries across Birmingham.
Each Champion plays a vital role in:
- Raising awareness of unpaid Carers within their practice
- Improving identification and recording of Carers
- Promoting referral pathways into Birmingham Carers Hub and wider community support
- Encouraging a culture that recognises Carers as partners in Care
This strengthens the bridge between primary care and community-based support, helping to ensure Carers are recognised earlier and supported before reaching crisis point.
Why This Matters
Research across NHS organisations highlights that many Carers and staff Carers are unaware of available support, with surveys showing significant gaps in awareness and identification. Improving identification is a key step in building compassionate, inclusive systems that value the contribution of Carers.
By embedding trained Champions within GP surgeries, we are taking practical action to:
- Increase Carer registration within primary care
- Improve access to Carer Assessments and wellbeing support
- Reduce the risk of Carer breakdown
- Support whole-family wellbeing
What’s Next?
We have two further training dates planned before Carers Week in June, and if interest continues, we will offer additional sessions to ensure NHS services across Birmingham are equipped to identify and support Carers effectively.
Our ambition is clear: wherever a Carer presents within the NHS, they are recognised, listened to and connected to the right support.
For more information about Carer Champion Training or becoming a Carer Friendly organisation, please contact:
carerfriendly@forwardcarers.org.uk
