All Party Parliamentary Group on Carers - The Carer's Strategy

Back from Clare I had to shift my focus sharpish. Before my holiday I had been asked by the MND Association to speak at Parliament before a joint meeting of the APPG on MND and the APPG on Carers about my experience of caring for Roch. Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP was to be in attendance and the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Governments Carers strategy. It was a chance to put forward concerns and highlight the issues. On the flight home I began to think about what to say. I knew I had five minutes to speak and both the MND Association and CarersUK had requested that if possible, I include a number of points they felt it was important to stress to the Minister, both points of information and issues of concern. I decided that I would try to weave our experience around these points.

For an excellent report on the meeting I can do no better than refer you to the following link from the CarersUK blog. I hope I presented, in the time allowed, at least some of the universal concerns shared by my fellow carers, and not just those caring for someone with MND.

https://www.carersuk.org/for-professionals/policy/expert-comment/5200-the-carers-strategy-at-the-appg-on-carers

An impressive number of MPs attended and the meeting was chaired by Baroness Gill Pitkeathley.

I think so many MPs came along because so many have been affected by a caring role. One MP referred to the 'Army of carers out there' and it was generally agreed that more and more people are unexpectedly faced with the prospect of caring for a family member. I was happy to hear that there was understanding about how at the moment of diagnosis, life changes forever for the person who is about to be catapulted into a life as a Carer and MPs agreed that speed is of the essence in offering support and information at this early stage.
Afterwards I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting with Barbara Keeley MP, Shadow Minister for Carers, who spoke so eloquently during the meeting about Carers' needs.

With Barbara Keeley MP and Richard Arkless MP

 

With our Tom, who supported me throughout the day. 

In the Shadow of Big Ben

 

The Minister speaks

I spoke also with Richard Arkless MP for Dumfries & Galloway, who recently lost his mother to MND. There is a shared understanding and mutual compassion between people whose loved ones have MND. After the meeting we hugged. He told me that my speech had resonated with him in all respects. All around me I saw the human face of Parliament and indeed Alistair Burt made this very point. We think of Westminster perhaps as a place very removed from us but the reality is that MPs and Peers are human too and the issue of caring touches so many - some disclosed their own personal experiences around caring. For all of us Carers out there this is a good thing, because it means it is an issue close to their hearts and they will want to make sure the new Strategy on Caring does right by Carers. 

The Minister announced that the public consultation was to be extended by a month, so there is still time to have your say and a chance to influence the Government's strategy on Carers. 

https://consultations.dh.gov.uk/carers/how-can-we-improve-support-for-carers