Additional support is at hand for family carers while visiting is suspended temporarily in hospitals run by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT).
Whether you are a family carer with a loved one in hospital, or a family carer that is a patient in our care, dedicated support is in place to help you while visiting is restricted.
Suffolk Family Carers (for east Suffolk families) and Carers First (for north east Essex families) both have dedicated advisors based at Ipswich and Colchester Hospitals.
They can offer emotional and practical support, and they can also signpost carers to other organisations for extra help and advice.
Giles Thorpe is Chief Nurse at ESNEFT.
He said: “It is vital we support our carers. That’s why anyone in a formal caring role for patients with, for example, learning disabilities or severe dementia are still able to visit their loved ones while visiting is suspended.
“However, sometimes it’s good to know someone is at the end of the phone to listen or to offer extra support if it’s needed.
“The helpful services offered by Suffolk Family Carers and Carers First are a real lifeline to our carers and we’re so pleased to have them on our sites to help and support families when they need it most.”
How to get in touch
- To find out more, or to have a chat with Suffolk Family Carers, call 01473 703756.
- For information and support from Carers First, call the main helpline on 0300 303 1555.