Baroness Merron

I am very grateful to the noble Lord. I and the Government are certainly cognisant of the role that unpaid carers play. That is why, last year, we increased the carer’s allowance…

I can see the pressure and difficulties that can bring. There is a range of reasons why discharges do not take place in a timely fashion—not just processes but the interface betwe…

The whole system needs to do better, as the noble Lord outlines. It will be helpful that we are also looking at commissioning research in this area to look at best practice, as we…

My noble friend makes exactly the right points. We certainly recognise the vital role that unpaid carers play in supporting those who are to be discharged. Decisions about staffin…

I know the noble Lord will be aware of the better care fund, to which there is a commitment of some £9 billion. It can be used in various ways, including in the way that he descri…

The noble Lord is right to emphasise the role that many children and young people have as young carers. The Children’s Social Care National Framework is statutory guidance for loc…

I completely agree with my noble friend that the involvement of and support to unpaid carers is crucial when a patient is discharged because, as she says, it is vital not just for…

My Lords, the Health and Care Act 2022 requires NHS trusts to involve patients and unpaid carers in discharge planning, reinforced by 2024 discharge guidance. However, this is not…