PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
ACCESS AND FUNDING FOR CARERS' BREAKS (12 December 2012)

That this House notes that in the updated National Strategy for Carers the Government pledged an additional £400 million to the NHS to enable more carers to take well-earned breaks from their caring responsibilities; further notes that there are over six million carers in the UK who are vital to its national system of care and support and that last year, primary care trusts (PCTs) were required to publish plans and budgets on supporting carers in line with the Carers' Strategy and that although some have done so, many have not fulfilled their duties; supports the report recently published by Carers Trust which details the lack of transparency and accountability for carers in terms of how PCTs are supporting them; agrees with Carers Trust that carers could be better supported if clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) worked with local authorities, carers and local carers organisations to refresh local carers strategies and to ensure carers benefit from the funding made available to the NHS up until 2015; and finally calls on the Government and the NHS Commissioning Board to ensure CCGs work in partnership with others to identify clear and accessible ways to present information on how they are supporting carers and allocating funding for carers' breaks.

Sponsored by:
Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat)