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Primary Health Care (Carers)

: On the quality and outcomes framework guidance, in my experience the people working in primary care projects in different parts of the country ran into difficulties with the definition of carer. For instance, in some areas PCTs did not accept that people caring for those with alcohol or drugs problems were carers. Talking of people being heavily committed or at the sharp end of things, young carers are often involved in the care of people with mental health and drugs problems. When these issues are clarified, it is important that everyone accepts a national definition of carer that includes those conditions. The inclusion of carers in the core standards is key. It is a step change that some PCTs and other authorities have to make in recognising that this is a key constituency and in thinking it through properly. In some ways it is the overall links to PCTs and the big message that needs to be got across, rather than the detail. We are moving to a situation where the detail of everything that is produced includes carers. Provision is still patchy across the country. This constituency is being ignored in some places. Many organisations and people concerned about carers do not know how to get them further up the agenda. It is almost as if we have to do something big to show that we really mean this.