Juliet Campbell MP for Broxtowe calls for Government to implement a modern Carers Strategy.

Juliet Campbell MP has pledged to support the thousands of unpaid carers living in Broxtowe over the course of this Parliament and stand up for greater equality for carers.

There are an estimated 5.8 million carers across the UK.  A carer is a person of any age who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, friend or neighbour who is disabled, has an illness or long-term condition, or who needs extra help as they grow older. Caring can range from keeping an eye on someone or looking after someone’s physical and mental health needs.

Juliet Campbell MP attended a Carers Week event in Parliament on Wednesday 11th June and met with unpaid carers to hear about their experiences of caring and the inequalities they face, how carers can be better identified and recognised, and the support they urgently need.

The event was organised by Carers UK and supported by seven other Carers Week charities – Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association, The ME Association, Oxfam GB, Rethink Mental Illness, and The Lewy Body Society.

Juliet Campbell MP said

“In the early part of my career, I worked for a carer’s organisation (one of my favourite jobs).  My role was to work with primary care providers to raise awareness of carers so that they recognised carers and acknowledged the work that they do and ensure that carers physical and emotional needs are looked after as well as the cared for persons.

During the time that I worked for the carer’s organisation, the first Carers Strategy was born under the last Labour government.  Carers are holding families together, enabling those they care for to get the most out of life, making an enormous contribution to society and saving the economy billions of pounds.

Yet many are stretched to the limit – juggling care with work and family life, struggling to make ends meet and often battling with poor health themselves.

This National Carers’ Week I stand with Carers UK and call upon the Government to implement a modern Carers Strategy.”