contacts for Support Groups at bottom of page

A Who’s Who of Help - a quick reference to professionals who can provide support.

Your local health authority 

• Your GP can refer you to the following hospital and community services.

 Hospital services

• A psychiatrist – medical doctor specialising in mental illness for any age group.
• A neurologist – specialist in diseases of the brain and nervous system.
• A geriatrician – specialist in diseases of older people.
• A clinical psychologist – specialist in mental and behavioural functions of the brain.
• An old age psychiatrist (used to be called psycho-geriatrician) – specialist in mental health illness among older people.

  Community services 

• A district nurse provides nursing care at home.
• A health visitor provides general health advice at home (you can ask to see one for yourself at your local health centre or clinic).
• A community psychiatric nurse provides nursing care for mentally ill people at home.  Sometimes there are aids for practical care.
• A continence adviser offers advice about the management of incontinence.
• A chiropodist provides foot care.
• An annual health check offered by the general practice to look at the needs of people over 75.

  Social services 

• A social worker – assesses and plans the support needed by people at home.  They will either arrange the support package or organise a direct or indirect payment.
• A care manager – usually a social worker but may be someone like a district nurse, an occupational therapist or someone from a home care organisation performing the same role.
• An occupational therapist – provides rehabilitation at home using daily activities.

This information has been extracted from the "Who Cares?" booklet from the Department of Health (2007). The booklet can be ordered on line or telephone 08701 555455.

Being prepared for a visit to the GP surgery is so important.  It can be useful to let the receptionist know that you are a carer.  It will give the GP an opportunity to consider how your medical condition may be related to your role as a carer.  Medical conditions could be made worse by incorrect lifting of the person, or if you are not taking proper care of yourself, ie. not eating or sleeping well; something that some carers do without knowing.

PALS -

Patient Advice and Liaison Service

was introduced to ensure that the National Health Service listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.

• Provides information about the NHS
• Provides local information about agencies and support outside the NHS
• Listens to concerns and suggestions

Local contacts for PALS

Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

Phone: 02476 348985

e-mail: pals.enquiries@cwa.nhs.uk

George Eliot Hospital

Phone: 02476 865550

Freephone: 08000407194

e-mail: pals@geh.nhs.uk

South Warwickshire General Hospitals

Phone: 01926 600054

e-mail: pals@swh.nhs.uk

Rugby PCT

Phone: 01788 550860

Freephone: 0800 5872546

South Warwickshire PCT

Phone: 01926 493491

e-mail: pals@swarkpct.nhs.uk

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

Freephone: 0800 0284203

e-mail: pals@wh-tr.wmids.nhs.uk