A Carer's Life: Implications and Considerations for Commissioning

People who provide unpaid care for a disabled, seriously-ill or older loved one in the UK save the state £132 billion a year – close to the cost of a second NHS (Buckner and Yeandle, 2015). In a time of austerity, smart commissioners will pay close attention to carers and how to sustain caring roles by providing access to support that minimises the burden and maximises the resilience and wellbeing of this often ‘hidden’ population.

This paper discusses the implications for commissioning of a study conducted by Sarah Broadhurst at IPC that explored the reality for carers, their quality of life outcomes and the emotional dimensions of their lives. The study looked across all adult carer groups to see if there are common themes that are relevant to all carers and hence commissioners.