FEBRUARY 2001 From The Resource Centre, 5a, Church Road Caldicot, NP26 4BP. Tel 01291 420666 or 420602 Dear Carers. Good Health is one of the most important things in life these days particularly for Carers and Health is going to be the theme for this years National Carers Week in June. This means that we shall be taking the Health Service to task as to what they are offering carers!! Gray Hill Surgery can be proud of the fact that they are offering an information and support service to carers, but how many other practices in Monmouthshire are doing this? The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) are surveying practices in Wales to audit the services that GPs provide. Monmouthshire has been chosen to run a pilot audit and Gray Hill surgery has been randomly chosen to be audited and the support that the carers project offers at Gray Hill will be part of that audit. However I feel that hospitals, particularly community hospitals, should also be offering information and support for carers. It would be very helpful to carers to have some information and support before they start caring, in order to prepare themelves to be able to care to the best of their ability. Maybe this year we shall be able to have some impact on our own local community hospital. This would, however, become part of the purpose of the Princess Royal Trust, which we hope will be implemented from April this year. This will provide a full time Carers Worker for Monmouthshire, who will be setting up projects like the Gray Hill example around the County. An obvious place in Chepstow to offer such a service would be at the Community Hospital where there are also two independent GP surgeries. At our January meeting we welcomed Mr lan Galbraith of Reynolds Galbraith Solicitors in Chepstow. Mr Galbraith gave us all small booklets about Wills, (Why we should make one? Well, about 60% of people die without making a will and this can prove to be complicated, time consuming and expensive to sort out). He also talked about Enduring Power of Attorney. Many solicitors are recommending that we all take this out when we are seeing solicitors about Wills whatever age we are. It enables nominated persons to deal with a person's affairs if they ever become non compus mentis. This is not only for people who become demented when older, but also those confused and unable to deal with personal affairs after accidents or episodes of meningitis etc. Many people assume that Power of Attorney will do this, but Power of Attorney ceases if the person becomes non compus mentis and unable to deal with their own legal and financial affairs. Enduring Power of Attorney would continue. I would advise all Carers to seek advice from a solicitor about Enduring Power of Attorney. Our next meeting is on Thursday 1st February, from l0:00am until 3:30pm. 'Pampering' etc., during the morning and in the afternoon we have a talk from the Benefits Agency. However the Benefits Agency will be there throughout the day to deal with any individual queries you have about your own circumstances, or those of the person you care for. I also want to remind you that I am available at Gray Hill surgery on Wednesdays, and at the Resource Centre on Thursdays. Please telephone Gray Hill on 420282 or me at the Resource Centre direct for appointments. Next month, on Thursday 1st March, we hope to have social services coming to talk to us about the progress being made with Carers Assessments. Best wishes Patsy Lewis

For transport to meetings contact Nan Smith on 01291-421665 or Alison Short on 01291-623771.