Carers Page

A Forward Carers Carer Friendly Award is an offical recognition given to businesses, employers, and organizations that actively support and value unpaid carers. 

Milton Abbas Surgery were nominated for the Forward Carers Carer Friendly award on 10th April 2025 for their whole practice approach to carer support. Since then, we continue to look for ways to demonstrate excellent practice. 

For more information about Forward Carers and the work they do to create Carer Friendly Communities please click here.

You may not consider yourself a carer, as caring is often something we do for family or friends without question and without defining or labelling it as such. If you provide care to someone who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, and they couldn’t manage without your support, then you are a carer.

Carers can be anyone of any age and perform any number of different tasks to support the person they are caring for. You may be providing practical support like shopping, meal preparation, personal care (such as washing or dressing) or you may be providing emotional support to support someone’s mental wellbeing. You do not have to live with the person you care for to be a carer.

Young Carers

A young carer is someone under the age of 18 who looks after or helps to look after someone. If this is you, please click here to see support specifically for young carers.

Caring for someone can be rewarding, but it can also be challenging, tiring and isolating. It can impact on all aspects of life from relationships and health, to finances and work, and caring without the right information and support can be tough. That is why we want to know who all our patients with caring responsibilities are, so they can get the support they need.

When you tell us that you are caring for someone we will place your details on our Carer’s Register so that practice staff are aware you are carer.  We will not share this knowledge with anyone else unless you tell us that we can. 

How do I let you know? You can speak with one of the members of our practice team, drop us an email or use the ‘contact us’ page on this website. Alternatively, you can complete the online form found on the Mid Dorset Primary Care Network Carers page (more information about this page can be found below).

We have a carers pack full of useful information and advice which you can collect from Reception. Alternatively, you can take a look at this virtual carers pack:

• Carers Pack Welcome Letter
• Carers Journal
• Herbert Protocol
• This is Me (My Care Passport)
• Social Prescribing Leaflet
• Wellbeing Team Flyer

Kelly, our Social Prescriber, is also our Carers Lead here at the surgery and is here to help you. If you feel you would like some further information on services available to you, or you could do with some support, she can point you in the right direction. Please call the surgery and ask to speak with her, or you can send an email to miltonabbassurgery@nhs.net for her attention.

Please also follow our surgery Facebook or Instragram page @miltonabbassurgery for useful information and the latest surgery news.

Every carer should be supported with the right information and advice in order for them to feel able to carry out their caring role. In Dorset we have two ‘front door’ carer support services in which we encourage every carer to be registered with. In addition to support, they provide you with regular newsletters to keep you informed and explain what you are entitled to as an unpaid carer. You can register with them yourself by using the details below, or you can contact Kelly and she can complete the registration on your behalf.

If you care for some who lives Dorset Council, you will need to register with Help & Care for support:

• Tel: 0300 111 3303
• Website: www.helpandcare.org.uk/dorset-carers-service
• Email: carers@helpandcare.org.uk 

If you care for someone who lives in BCP Council you will need to register with BCP Carer Support for support:

• Tel: 01202 128787
• Website: www.bcpcarersupport.org
• Email: carersupport@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

A Carer's Assessment is a free check-in from your local council to understand how caring affects your life and what support could help. You don't need to be struggling or at crisis point to ask - it is for anyone providing unpaid care for a family member or friend.

The assessment focuses on your needs, not the needs of the person you support, and usually covers things like:

• How caring affects your physical and mental wellbeing
• What your caring role involves day to day
• Whether it impacts your work, finances, sleep, or relationships
• What would make caring feel more manageable (practical help, breaks, equipment, or support locally).

You can request a Carer's Assessment by contacting Dorset Council Adult Social Care team on 01305 221016. Alternatively, Help & Care Dorset Carers Service can refer you.

Bridgit is an online self-service platform available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can:

• ask questions and explore support with an AI Coach
• create a personalised self-help plan
• read about support available across Dorset

To get started, click here.

The Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole & Dorset Care Directory is full of information to help you arrange care and support. It provides details of local care providers, guidance on what support services are available, and information on how to access social care in your area. To get a free copy sent to you, please call Care Choices Ltd on 01223 207770. Alternatively, you can download a PDF copy or view as an eBook online here.

Milton Abbas Surgery is one of nine surgeries within Mid Dorset Primary Care Network (PCN). The PCN was set up in order for our local surgeries in Mid Dorset to work together to enable great provision of proactive, personalised, coordinator and integrated health and social care for people closer to home.

That is why we have created a joint Carers Information Page on the PCN website which holds the rest of the information that is available to support you as a carer. Please visit the PCN Carers Information page for further information, advice and support. It covers information on:

• How we can support you
• Local support services
• Young Carers 
• Planning ahead
• In an emergency
• Support for carers in our Dorset hospitals
• Carer’s Assessment
• Carers Information Pack
• Carers News
• Leaflets
• Useful websites and contacts