Sandwell Council is exploring online digital solutions for unpaid carers that provide information, guidance, advice and support at times when standard services are not available.
Some of the £300,000 funding secured from the Department of Health and Social Care’s Accelerated Reform Fund has enabled our Adult Social Care team commission Bridgit Care – which is an online platform designed to offer localised content tailored to the needs of carers 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Interactive workshops took place during May aimed at giving carers hands-on access to test the new website, with insights shared with the supplier to ensure that their views could directly inform any improvements to the platform before going live.
When using the new website, carers can put together a support plan that brings everything together in one place, including specific advice on the challenges that they are facing, and access to a free tool to help put support in place if they are unable to carry out their caring role in an emergency.
In addition, a new carers service will also be launched in September in conjunction with Forward Carers. This is all part of our Adult Social Care vision: to provide the right support, at the right time and the right place, to maximise independence and empower people to remain safe and healthy.
Councillor Jackie Taylor, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health & Wellbeing, said:
“We want to grow services that make person-centred care a reality, supporting unpaid carers to live healthy and fulfilling lives alongside their caring role and respond to rising demand and the changing needs of local populations.
“It is vital that we work with carers every step of the way. From co-designing our new Carers Service to be delivered in partnership with Forward Carers which is set to launch in September through to their involvement in refining the user experience when it comes to Bridgit.”