“We know the NHS will have to save £15-20bn over the next five years.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley has said that this “implied something like 3-3.5%, probably about 3%, efficiency savings each year in the NHS… we may need to do more, because we have increases in demand”.

On the ground, we have all been told we need to make significant savings within our individual departments of approximately 10% of our budgets. This means that those of us working in continence services are under considerable pressure to save, on average, more than £100,000 per year. This is almost impossible when we are already struggling on limited budgets, while the cost of disposable incontinence products and the ageing population who need continence care are both increasing.

The cost of continence products produced in the Eurozone has been dramatically affected by the exchange rate. Between 2007 and 2009, costs rose over 30%.

While the exchange rate has moved slightly this year, industry has still seen a cost increase of around 28% since 2007. Products produced outside the Eurozone are affected by fluctuating local currencies. In addition, raw material prices are increasing and, as those used in continence products are priced internationally in US dollars, there will be a double hit as the euro is weak against the dollar.

The figures do not add up. We want to provide the same level of service, balance the books and save 10% at a time when products are costing nearly 30% more.
Continence services can only realistically seek to cut costs via efficiency savings, rather than on product price. However, many of us are frustrated that our ideas to improve efficiency are often lost within the bureaucracy of the NHS and because continence is not anyone’s “target”, which means it sparks little interest.

Particularly frustrating is the snail’s pace at which services are being transferred from acute to primary care, where they could be better served.

Yet it is disposable product provision that leaves many continence nurses in the line of fire. Calls to the PromoCon helpline, a charity that offers product advice, are increasing. Patients and families are complaining about the limited type and number of products for which they are eligible. The phrase “Don’t shoot the messenger!” often comes to mind as nurses are told by management to restrict the type and number of products they prescribe to save money. This means that many services are not able to provide products to meet patients’ needs.”

On the same day Imelda Redmond CBE, Chief Executive of Carers UK commented on the Government’s White Paper:

“We warmly welcome these bold plans for a National Care Service of the kind that older and disabled people, their families and carers have been calling for. These proposals promise to end the social care postcode lottery and protect families from the crippling costs of care which they currently see draining their savings and putting at risk family homes.

Family carers desperately need these reforms as many are pushed to breaking point due to lack of support from the current system. This White Paper places carers at the centre of social care – recognising that a new National Care Service will not take care away from families, but would support them.

The government has recognised that the demographic challenge of an ageing population makes a National Care Service an economic imperative. Our current care system cannot meet families’ needs and has forced over 1 million people to give up work to care. Government has set out a positive vision in which the social care system supports individuals to juggle work with caring for ill or disabled relatives.

We also welcome plans for a new commission to decide how individuals pay into the proposed social insurance scheme. Given the political point scoring on these issues in recent weeks, it is vital that these questions are dealt with on a consensual basis. Although the vision is clear and ambitious, the White Paper in itself does not contain enough detail on the question of funding. The promised commission on funding must be brought forward as a matter of urgency, to deliver on the specifics, and give families confidence that the sort of care system they need will become a reality.

This White Paper sets social care at centre stage as the election looms and we look forward to care and support forming a key plank in all political parties’ manifestos.”

For those of you that would like to watch the White Paper’s launch event that happened on the 30th of March 2010 visit this link or if you prefer to read the White Paper and supporting documents please visit this link.

April 2010 will see the introduction of the new Carer’s Credit that will count towards their basic and second State Pension. People may not recognise the help they give unpaid to a disabled, ill or family member as caring but today they are being encouraged to come forward if they are looking after someone for at least twenty hours a week.

Minister of State for Pensions and Ageing Society Angela Eagle said: “We want people to tell us if they, or people they know, are looking after somebody for more than 20 hours a week so they benefit from this change. The State Pension is everyone’s foundation of financial security in later life and therefore, it’s only right that caring for others should be counted towards it.”

The natural focus for most carers is to meet the immediate needs of their loved one rather than on planning their own financial future. Results by the Ipsos MORI survey found less than one in five of the carers (19%) pay regularly into savings and only one in seven felt they had a comfortable amount put aside for the future. It also revealed almost half (46%) the carers it questioned are worried about their financial future and just over a third (36%)have dipped into savings as a result of caring.

Imelda Redmond, Chief Executive of Carers UK said: “We know saving for your retirement years won’t be your priority when you suddenly find yourself caring for a loved one. But there are simple steps you can take to secure your State Pension that will protect your long-term future as you care for others.”

If you are caring for someone for 20 hours or more a week you could get the new Carer’s Credit that will count towards your State Pension. Find out if you qualify by visiting www.direct.gov.uk/pensions or by calling 0800 678 1132.

Source: Carers UK

Anyone spending more than 20 hours a week looking after loved ones can be considered carers. A recent survey conducted by the newly launched NHS service called Carers Direct revealed that in St Helens, Merseyside, a staggering 14,456 people are hidden carers; nearly two thirds of carers in town are not even aware they are carers.

These are the numbers of only one town – imagine the figures for the whole country.

UK’s biggest carers’ organisation, Carers UK, offers detailed help and advice for carers. On their site you find how to claim benefits and a newly launched ten-step guide for those new to caring.

Nowadays there isn’t a national guide for carers but there are still many things carers can do to make people aware and get the supports they need.

Becoming a carer can be bewildering, confusing and frightening. No one is super human and all carers need some support and back-up.

According to the Telegraph, a 63 year old nurse working at St James’ Park Nursing Home in Dorset was sedating patients, putting call bells out of reach and putting extra incontinence pads on residents so she would not have to change their sheets.

Many of the patients under her care were highly vulnerable and many were dependent on her to meet their basic needs. She was only stopped when a healthcare assistant, Anthony Pitcher, blew the whistle on her.

Mr Pitcher said he often saw Haskings put two incontinence pads on patients at night so she would not have to change the bed sheets in the morning. He also witnessed Haskings taking call bells away from patients.

Jillian Alderwick, chairman of the panel – who worked at St James’ Park Nursing Home in Dorset – said that Haskings had set an “appalling example” to junior staff, commenting that:

“Further the panel considers that the placing of call bells out of the reach of residents was nothing short of abuse and the inappropriate application of more than one continence pad at a time was an assault on the dignity of these vulnerable, elderly residents. Having considered the matter carefully, the panel has come to conclusion that the misconduct in this case was so serious that it is fundamentally incompatible with the registrant continuing to be registered with the NMC.”

The nurse was found guilty of dishonestly obtaining Temazepam tablets, administering unprescribed medication to patients, sleeping on shift, removing their call bells and applying extra incontinence pads. The panel ruled that she should be struck off the register but she was cleared of failing to carry out hourly checks on residents.

Source: The Telegraph Online

In order to help Carers UK reach as many potential carers as possible, the organisation incites people to take in events and sponsorship activities that will help raise funds to aid carers across the country.

One of the most popular is the London Marathon sponsorship scheme, which includes a free membership for a year (worth £18), a free running vest or t-shirt and fundraising tip and support throughout training.

Runners interested in running for Carers UK this year must contact 020 7378 4952 or via email info@carersuk.org. You must hurry as there are only 2 gold bond places left.

Other fundraising schemes are:

Adidas Women’s 5K Challenge
Great North Run
Great Scottish Run
2010 Kilimanjaro Climb
2010 Nightrider

If you are interested in any of those schemes visit Carers UK Fundraising events page for detailed information on how you can help carers have a better quality of life.

A survey conducted by Ipsos MORI revealed that 9% of carers had to give up work and 7% have reduced their work hours to care. Nearly one third of carers interviewed are caring for over 50 hours a week and the average number of years they had cared for is 6.5 years.

On another survey, this time conducted by Carers UK, numbers were even more alarming. Over two thirds (77%) of carers surveyed cared for 50 or more hours a week, 35% of carers had missed out on State benefits because they didn’t realise they could claim them and 49% said not getting these benefits had directly affected their health, while 20% said they were struggling financially and 20% claimed they were in debt.

Last Friday – December 4th 2009 – was Carers Rights Day and over 1,500 events took place across the UK providing carers with advice and information on their finances including benefits checks and pensions forecasts.

Coinciding with the events, two new advice guides were published by Carers UK. Caring About Your Pension and Looking After Someone:  A Carer’s Guide to Rights and Entitlements. Both of which can be ordered from:

* www.carersuk.org
* from 0808 808 7777
* by emailing adviceline@carersuk.org.
* or by going into any Lloydspharmacy store. To find local stores visit: www.lloydspharmacy.com

Are you currently caring for a partner, family member or even a close friend? Did you know you were entitled to these benefits? Share your experience with others and lets help spread out the word about this serious matter.

The news was received with great joy by Carers and Organisations like Carers UK. The announcement comes following the welcomed confirmation from the Minister for Public Health, Gillian Merron MP, that carers of people who are immuno-suppressed would be a priority for vaccinations. Although this would have included a number of carers, it excluded people caring for sons and daughters with learning disabilities and other conditions such as incontinence.

The Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) has advised that:

“Main carers for elderly or disabled people should be encouraged to take up vaccination. This is to protect the welfare of those being cared for who may be at risk if their carer falls ill. We will discuss the implementation of this advice with carers’ organisations, including a number of practical questions, such as how to identify the carers involved.”

Carers UK public affairs manager Emily Holzhausen said:

“We are delighted that Government has accepted our advice that carers should be considered a priority for vaccinations where they provide significant care.  We have received a great number of calls from carers concerned about what would happen to the person for whom they cared should they fall ill with swine flu.  We look forward to discussing how to reach carers with the Swine Flu ‘Tsar’ Sir Roy Taylor and his team.”

This an important step forward. Prior to this carers had expressed anger that professional care workers were to be offered the vaccine but not carers who are family or friends.

Understanding the complex nature of incontinence in older people – and how to undertake a comprehensive and holistic assessment to identify the root of their incontinence – is one of the biggest challenges amongst doctors, nurses and carers.

Back in October Nursingtimes.net, the website of leading weekly magazine for nurses in the UK, published a detailed guide to assessing bladder function and urinary incontinence in older people.

The guide provides an overview of the causes of urinary incontinence in older people and the psychological factors that need to be taken into account when assessing and treating the condition within elderly sufferers.

Proving that a holistic assessment by a well-trained nurse or carer with a good understanding of the complex nature of incontinence in older people can result in a cure or improvement of their incontinence.