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Widcombe Surgery Goes The Extra Mile For Bath Carers

Neil Drinkwater from the Carers’ Centre with carer, Anne Norton, and Carers’ Lead and Administrator from Widcombe Surgery, Dominic Perdiccia.

Widcombe GP Surgery is now offering extra support for patients through a project run by the Carers’ Centre Bath and North East Somerset. The Centre works throughout the area to support carers - people who look after a friend or family member who is frail, has a physical or mental illness, disability or problem with drugs or alcohol. By working with the Carers’ Centre, free access to help, advice and information is now readily available to patients who are carers at the surgery.

Neil Drinkwater from the Carers’ Centre said, “Widcombe Surgery is a real example of good practice. They have three Carers’ Leads identifying patients who are carers and helping them to access the services of the Carers’ Centre. Staff at the surgery have received Carer Awareness training to help them understand the needs of people who care for others. The surgery also runs quarterly drop-in clinics where carers can come for one to one support, help and advice.”

Surgery Administrator, Dominic Perdiccia, has been a Carers’ Lead for over a year. “I act as a link between carers and the Carers’ Centre,” he explained. “We had a carers’ register before, but since working with the Centre and receiving training, our list of carers has more than doubled. We help carers to realise how much help and support is there for them.”

“I didn’t know about the Carers’ Centre until the surgery put me in touch with them,” said Anne Norton, who is a patient at the surgery as well a full time carer for her husband, Jack. “It’s good to know there is such a great service available, offering breaks from caring, free counselling, information and support whenever I need it. Jack had a stroke ten years ago and since then he has depended on me more and more. Carers in my position need all the help available to them.”