Patients & visitors

When someone you care for is in hospital

If you provide unpaid support to a family member or friend and they are unable to cope without your support, you are a carer.

We recognise and value the huge support that unpaid carers give to relatives, partners and friends. Carers can be any age, including children and young people (known as young carers).

Carers provide support in many circumstances, perhaps due to illness, frailty, a disability, Dementia and mental health conditions. This may be longstanding or a sudden, unexpected new diagnosis that requires support to manage.

If the person you care for is in hospital, hospital ward staff can offer you support by:

  • Listening and taking into account your views and concerns, recognising that you are the expert in the care of your relative/friend
  • Explaining treatment, medication and care plans
  • Involving you in treatment plans, care plans and discharge arrangements
  • Recognising during formal visiting times that you are a carer not a visitor
  • Explaining what will happen when the person you support leaves the hospital or community service
  • Encouraging you to take regular breaks to ensure you look after your own health
  • Signposting you to local organisations who can offer support such as Sheffield Carers Centre and Sheffield Young Carers

 

If you are a young person involved in caring for a family member of friend who has a physical or mental health need, disability or substance misuse problem then you may be a young carer. You might have to take on responsibilities that an adult may usually have including practical tasks or supporting them emotionally.

If you want to find out more about being a young carer then lots more information can be found on NHS Choices which you can access here. You can access support from Sheffield Young Carers.

 

Support, advice and carers assessments can be accessed via Sheffield Carers Centre and Sheffield Young Carers.  For anyone who lives outside of Sheffield, the Carers Trust website will signpost you to local support services.

                

We know when someone you care for goes into hospital, it can be stressful and worrying.

We also know that carers/young carers have a lot of skills and experience, and are a really important part of our patient’s care and recovery.

We are here to support carers, as well as our patients.

If you are a carer/young carer for someone in hospital, please speak to our ward staff so we can:

  • Find out how much you want to be involved while they are in hospital
  • See if you need any support
  • Let you know how we can help

Ask about our new Carer’s Passport initiative that we are running on many of our inpatient wards.

For more details about support organisations available, please take a look at our leaflet.

We also have videos available with advice and information;

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals - Carer Support (sth.nhs.uk)