Unpaid carers in Wigan experience the most dissatisfaction in regard to support and services they and those they care for received from Social Services, out of all the Greater Manchester Boroughs.
Being a carer is a topic which has been particularly prominent recently, particularly around the recent general election, where caring was at the forefront of the manifesto of the Liberal Democrats.
The Survey of Adult Carers in England, 2023-2024 is a study conducted amongst unpaid carers. Across Greater Manchester, 2420 people aged 18 or over took part.
Carers were asked how satisfied or dissatisfied they were with support or services they or the person they care for received from Social Services in the last 12 months.
The borough which showed the most dissatisfaction from carers was Wigan, with 14.6% of people either quite, very or extremely dissatisfied.
Out of this 14.9%, 5.9% of the respondents were extremely dissatisfied.
That figure is out of 290 people surveyed across the borough.
The borough with the least dissatisfaction was Bolton, with only 7.7% of 390 people surveyed being quite, very, or extremely dissatisfied. Only 2.1% of carers were extremely dissatisfied.
Glyn Meacher, 62, is the Pathway Programme Manager for Carers Manchester. He works for a company called Gaddum, which is commissioned by the council to bring caring organisations together.
He feels that in Manchester, the biggest problem facing unpaid carers which may contribute to this dissatisfaction is the lack of availability of respite care.
“It’s about the support that the council can provide to give them a break when it becomes difficult,” he said.
“Unfortunately, no sort of network care is ever going to be enough, because the need is so great.”
The services Gaddum commission have a real focus on enabling this greater respite opportunity for carers.
He said: “Respite care is how carers who need a break can get a break, which meets their needs and the person that they care for.
“If you don’t give carers the right support at the right time, and you don’t give them a break from the caring role to refresh the batteries so that they can look after their own health and well being.
“That’s often when carers go, I can’t, you know, I can’t do this anymore. And that’s where you get, you know, people in long term hospitals and in residential care placement.”
Glyn said that the stress on carers has increased in the past few years, for a variety of reasons, such as growing life expectancies, the growing rate of dementia and the cost of living.
He hopes that the new government will provide the change for social care which sees a real impact on supporting unpaid carers.
“The last government promised a new carer strategy over a number of years. And it was never delivered,” he said.
“What you would hope with a change of government and a change of priorities, is that carers will go higher up the priority.”
If you are in a caring position for another person, and need help, guidance or advice, call the Carers Manchester contact point on 0161 543 800.
Feature Image: Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
