What's available for Carers?

Bromley Well provides free, practical and emotional support to help you continue in your caring role. We'll help you increase your resilience, build on your existing skills and introduce new ones. We also support you to look after your own health and wellbeing and provide opportunities for you to meet and socialise with others.

We offer

• Information -  support, research and guidance for carers

• One to one practical and emotional support by phone, messaging and face to face

• Help you think about and plan for the future, including emergency situations

• Support you to self identify as a carer and register as a carer with your doctor

• Support you through changes in your caring role. Whether your "cared for" moves into supported living, palliative care or dies, we'll help.

• Chance to take part in free, practical training courses and workshops to build resilience, enhance your skills, meet others and have some fun!

• Point you in the right direction for other relevant support

• Regular social activities to meet other carers, share information and support each other

• Quarterly Carers forum to share information and give you the chance to tell us what you think about the services we provide

• Free Carers Newsletter. Sign up to receive your copy by email. Please read our privacy policy before signing up here.

• Check our What's On page for upcoming meetings and events for carers.

We also aim to raise awareness of the issues faced by Carers throughout the community by providing “Carers Awareness Training” for health, social care and related agencies.   For more information please contact carers@bromleywell.org.uk.

Download our Newsletter

Sign up for latest Carers newsletter here

Adult Carers Newsletter - December 2024

Resources to download

Carers Support Service flier Nov 24

Are You a Carer? Key actions for all unpaid carers to do now

Bereavement Advice: Information on bereavement, where to go for support, and suggestions for helping yourself and others through grief (pdf)

Mental Health Carers

Bromley Well supports people who care for a relative, partner or friend who struggles with their mental health.

We’re here to:

• Provide emotional support and guidance to manage your wellbeing and help you with your caring relationship
  
  
• Share advice, tools and techniques to manage daily life as a mental health carer
  
  
• Help you navigate your way round the support services available to you and the person you care for.

We provide:

• A regular Newsletter for news, information and resources. Email mhcarers@bromleywell.org.uk to sign up
  
  
• One to one support for emotional support, to talk about your caring and how it impacts you, as well as offer guidance and advice on different aspects of caring and mental health
  
  
• Wellbeing Events and Peer Support Meet-ups
  
  
• Information and Skills Workshops in partnership with Oxleas Mental Health Clinicians, who visit us to talk about different areas of mental health, diagnosis's and offer practical advice 
  
  
• Coping with Caring is our free 6 week course for mental health carers. The course is interactive and about you, as a carer. You’ll meet new people with similar experiences relating to supporting a loved one who struggles with their mental health and learn different ways to cope with the challenges this can bring. Get in touch to join the next course. Click here for the course overview
  
  
• Green Parks House Family and Carers Drop-In Group is a fortnightly confidential drop-in group for carers of people being seen by the acute units at Green Parks House (Princess Royal University Hospital) or Adult Mental Health Home Treatment Team. We are joined for each group by an experienced professional from Oxleas NHS, such as a senior nurse, psychiatrist, psychologist or pharmacist. Click here for the current dates
  
  
• Carers Connect Zoom running every 3rd Monday of the month. This monthly zoom is a safe, confidential and relaxed space to connect with those who truly 'get it' and chat from the comfort of your own home.

Contact Us: 

If you want to sign up to an event, seek support or if you have any questions please reach out to us. 

✉️ MHcarers@bromleywell.org.uk
📞 07709520029

Resources to download

Mental Health Carers Service leaflet 2024

Are you a Carer? Key actions for all unpaid carers to do now

Carers Rights within Employment 

Coping with Caring Course Overview

Bereavement Advice: Information on bereavement, where to go for support, and suggestions for helping yourself and others through grief

Mutual Carers

We support unpaid carers aged 55+ who might have a disabled, adult son / daughter / sibling or other relative living at home, who in return, is caring for the older person. We call this mutual caring. This support helps you to remain living in your own home in the community.

Support includes:

• Going with you to medical and professional appointments

• Help writing letters and sorting out bills

• One to one emotional support. We can do this by phone and also in person at your home

• Help to think about and plan for the future

• Help with technology such as CareLink, a personal alarm system which helps you remain safely in your own home

• Help with internet shopping

• A chance to meet others in similar situations, have fun and share your experiences. There is a group for older people and another for the disabled carers

• Information workshops on topics like mental wellbeing, keeping healthy in winter, welfare benefits, scams

• Healthy eating cookery sessions

• Sessions on skills like budgeting, travelling safely and first aid

• Free Carers Newsletter 4 times a year. You can sign up to receive your copy by email. Please read our privacy policy before signing up here.

Resources to download

Mutual Carers Support leaflet 2024.pdf

Mutual Carers Newsletter (Nov-Dec 2024) 

Are You a Carer? Key actions for all unpaid carers to do now

If you are over the age of 18 and provide unpaid care, you are entitled to a Carer’s Assessment.

In the London Borough of Bromley, Carer’s Assessments are carried out by  Bromley Council.

A Carer’s Assessment is a chance to discuss with the Council what support or services you need. The assessment will look at how caring affects your life, including for example, physical, mental and emotional needs, and whether you are able or willing to carry on caring.

You can request a Carer’s Assessment regardless of the type or amount of unpaid care you provide. You do not need to be in receipt of Carer’s Allowance. The person you care for does not need to have been assessed by the local authority.

If you share caring responsibilities with another person, you are both entitled to a Carer’s Assessment.

Carer’s Assessments should focus on the needs of the carer, and not the person they look after. For more information and what might happen after the assessment, visit Carers UK website

Bromley Council carry out Carers Assessments in the borough.

To request an assessment, contact Bromley Adult Social Care by phone, via email, post or by completing their online form. In some cases you may be directed to another local authority service if you /the person you care for are not in Bromley borough.

Phone: 020 8461 7777

Email: adultsocialcare@bromley.gov.uk

Online form: www.bromley.gov.uk/carersassessmentform

Address: Bromley Adult Social Care,  Bromley Civic Centre, Churchill Court, 2 Westmoreland Road, Bromley, BR1 1AS.

You have the right to request flexible working if you provide unpaid care. However, it is up to your employer and the policies they have in place as to whether you are granted flexible working.

From 2024 all Carers are entitled to unpaid leave for their caring responsibilities.

Visit Carers UK website for further information about working and caring.

Employment Advice Acas is an independent government body providing free advice and guidance on employment rights, best practice and workplace disputes.

Contact Acas on 0300 123 1100 and visit Acas website for help.

Hospital discharge

If you are an unpaid carer and the person you care for is being discharged from hospital, the hospital must identify and consult with you, where possible.

Help at the point of hospital discharge

Hospital Discharge Advocacy services can be useful if you or the person you care for is admitted to hospital.

Advocacy First is one service providing help for Bromley residents or non-resents in a Bromley based hospital.

Advocacy First's aim is to listen to patients to find out what you want, and give you all the options available for when you leave hospital. This service extends to families and carers of the patient.

Contact Advocacy First on 020 8460 6712 or email info@advocacyfirst.org.uk.

In 2024 - 25

As an unpaid carer, you are entitled to a free flu jab, and priority bookings for COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.

The Equality Act 2010 is the law that protects you from being unfairly treated on the grounds of age, disability, race, religious beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy.

If you look after an older or disabled person, you are protected against discrimination because of your association with that person.

Many visitor attractions and leisure facilities will offer unpaid carers free entry when you both visit. 

For further information visit Carers Trust

Carers UK

Carers UK provides expert advice and information on financial support, workplace entitlements, carers rights and much more.

Carers Trust

Carers Trust provide resources on financial assistance, health and wellbeing, legal rights, local support services along with tools for managing specific conditions.

Bromley Well is a network partner of Carer Trust, meaning we provide local Carers Support in Bromley borough.

We have won their Excellence for Carers Award.

Get in touch with us at Bromley Well to register as a carer and start accessing support. Call Bromley Well freephone 0808 278 7898 or complete our online referral form.