Carers Support Services
Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes: I direct my question to the Attorney General, representing the Minister for Health. Is the Minister aware that figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] indicating that a third of all carers in Australia live in New South Wales and that the largest number of Aboriginal carers also live in New South Wales? In particular, is the Minister aware that carers in regional and remote areas of New South Wales experience higher rates of disability or long-term health conditions and higher rates of unemployment than do non-carers living in the same areas? What programs will be established to ensure that underpaid family carers in rural and remote areas of New South Wales have better access to appropriate support services? Will the Government introduce flexible work arrangements for unpaid carers, allowing them to balance work and care? Will the Government implement programs to cater for the diverse needs of vulnerable care groups in New South Wales, such as young carers and indigenous carers?
The Hon. John Hatzistergos: I will refer the matter to the Minister for Health, obtain an answer and report it to the House in due course.
Deferred answer
On 11 November 2009 Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes asked the Attorney General, representing the Minister for Health, a question without notice regarding carer support services. The Minister for Health provided the following response:
The NSW Government is committed to assisting carers in quality of life for themselves and the people they care for. The NSW Carers Action Plan 2007 – 2012 describes the goals of the NSW Government.
The five priorities for the NSW Government are that:
● Carers are recognised, respected and valued.
● Hidden carers are identified and supported.
● Services for carers and the people they care for are improved.
● Carers are partners in care.
● Carers are supported to combine caring and work.
NSW Health Area Health Services Carer Support Services, established in June 2003 under the NSW Carers Program, aim to raise the profile of carers in the delivery of public health services. Since 2005, Carer Support Services have been delivered through 8 Area Health Services including the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Responsibilities have included administering and monitoring local carer grants, identifying carers, raising carer awareness and encouraging carers to be viewed as partners in health care.
Carer Support Services work to improve the responsiveness to carers across the health system and are currently co-ordinating the development of Area Health Service Carer Action Plans.
Under the NSW Carers Action Plan, the NSW Government has committed funding to implement programs to cater for the diverse needs of vulnerable care groups in NSW, such as young carers and Indigenous carers, as follows:
● $200,000 one-off funds to implement a cross government agency strategy to support young carers.
● $467,000 recurrent funds to extend Non Government Organisations (NGO) carer grants for Aboriginal and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities.
The NSW Government will continue to support the important role of carers in our community.
