CARERS...
Look after family, partners or friends in need of help.
Because they are ill, frail or have a disability.
The care they provide is unpaid.

THE CHEPSTOW AND CALDICOT CARERS' SUPPORT GROUP
Chairman: Hermione Ford (01291-689233)
Secretary: Patsy Lewis (01291-420602)
Office: 'Cobblers Pitch', Highmoor Hill,
Caerwent, Monmouthshire NP26 5PF

Dear Carer,

In December we attended Carers Rights Day at Chepstow Race Course. Maggie Titterton from Carers Wales chaired the day and said that it would cost about £10,000 to replace each carer and overall £3.5 billion to replace the care that carers give in Wales each year.

Jane Hutt, the Minister for Health and Social Services in the Welsh Assembly was the main speaker. She spoke about the commitment the Assembly has to carers and the political will to deliver better opportunities for carers.

She took the opportunity to launch a new Health and Social Care Guide at the day. I did not get a copy myself so I am intrigued to see what is in it.

Huw Edwards MP, said that we should use our elected representatives better to air our views and problems. He spoke about equitable services and greater uniformity across Wales on care and charges.

Our Chairman Hermione was another speaker and she gave a very moving account on what it is like to be a carer. She felt that an annual MOT for carers including health and dental care was not too much to ask for. She also said that it was insulting that carers should have to relinquish the Carers Allowance at 60, even though caring continued. (There is still an entitlement to this, but you cannot be paid it together with a pension).

She recommended that there is a Minister for Carers and how difficult it was to get back to work when you experienced poverty and low self esteem as a carer.

Congratulations Hermoine on giving such a good account.

Amongst others, two other carers both spoke well and we also heard from Sue Pritchard who is the Chairperson designate of the new Local Health Board. She spoke well too. We may have an interesting ally there!

Lastly, the Young Carers Worker, Tracy Gage also spoke on Young Carers.

All in all it was an interesting day and served well to highlight the cause of Carers.

NEW CHARGES FOR SERVICES IN MONMOUTHSHIRE

Since that meeting and our AGM, five Carers met County Councillor Brian Hood and Tracy Harry from the Local Authority to present the proposals for the new charging policy for users and carers in Monmouthshire.

This was very disturbing. The proposal will recommend charging for users who are over the Income Support Level + 25%. This would be after expenses incurred in caring are deducted, such as electricity, telephone, etc.
I asked if this would include costs of respite care and a holiday. They were unsure.

Charges would then be based on a charge of £8 per hour per unit of service. (£8 has not been decided on but that is the rough cost of services at present).
There would be no banding system. Every body over and above that level would be charged.
There will be two rates of charges - one for domestic services such as cleaning and shaping and a higher one for Personal Care.

At present they do not propose to have a ceiling on the top rate of charges. All benefits except a War Widows pension will be taken into account as income.
For care at home (domiciliary care) the capital tied up in the home will NOT be taken m to account when financial assessment is being made.
Carers may be charged if as a result of a 'carers assessment' a service is provided. This is something that they are considering. Crossroads may in the future be a chargeable service.
We were also told that people with Learning Disabilities and Mental Health problems who have services from Social Services would also be assessed for payment.
The stamp system is being abolished, as this is very expensive to administer. Users/Carers will be invoiced monthly in arrears and payment made.
Carers will certainly expect a high standard of service if they are paying this sort of money. That, as we know is not the case at the moment. We hope that the new Care Standards Act will improve services very quickly and that a quality reliable service is offered as a result. We are pessimistic that an improvement will take some time to filter through.

This was quite a disappointing meeting. We all felt that Carers and Users would decide to reduce their services or refuse them altogether if these charges were implemented.
Carers would become more stressed and suffer more ill health themselves. Social Services say that they are trying to encourage more people to stay in their own homes. This new system will surely prove to be counter productive.

If anyone has any comments to make they can contact Councillor Brian Hood at County Hall Cwmbran. As a group we intend to invite some local County Councillors and our Welsh Assembly Member and lobby them hard on these issues in the New Year. It is planned that these new charges will be implemented next April.

"One Stop Shop"

Benefits and advice for over 60s:
There is now an Advice Surgery at Woodstock Way in Caldicot on Tuesdays, 9am - 5pm. I am presuming that this "One Stop Shop" is held in the Rent Office, next to the Library. Do call in for any queries regarding Retirement Pension or other pensioner entitlements and benefits for over 60s.

Also, Monmouthshire Social Services are providing a Benefits Advice Service. This is for all ages. Contact them on 01873 735407. They will come to the house and discuss any benefit queries and help to fill in forms.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday 9th January. This is a week later than normal, but the 2nd is too near the New Year.
Our guests will be the new Manager of Chepstow and Caldicot Crossroads Scheme.

A happy new year to all carers.

If you want a chat I am at Gray Hill Surgery on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10:00am-12:00 mid-day. Anyone, subscribers or not, can come and see me there.
Ring 01291-420282 for an appointment or take a chance and pop in!

For transport to meetings contact Nan Smith on 01291-421665 or Fran Green on 01633 881142.

Best wishes,

Patsy Lewis.