Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust (CPFT) has been praised as a leading example of best practice in supporting carers within a large healthcare organisation. While every acute hospital across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, and Norfolk has achieved the Carer Friendly Tick Award (CFTA), CPFT stands out for its approach of expecting individual departments to achieve the accreditation in their own right. This method has enabled the Trust’s carer champions to take ownership and integrate comprehensive support for carers directly within their local departments.
To date, nine departments at CPFT have achieved the Carer Friendly Tick Award with two more awaiting
assessment. The Trust has been recognised for its outstanding efforts in embedding support for carers of all ages at a local level, ensuring that carers’ needs are met with personalised care and attention.
Lucy Brumpton, Service Manager at CPFT, shared her thoughts on the impact of the award;
“The award has provided the service with the validation that carers are at the heart of our care. Having a database of external providers that we can signpost carers to, means that when a concern or issue is raised, carers feel heard, and the relevant support or guidance is available. The links with the external services focused on the rights and needs of carers has enriched the skills in the team, developing a more person-centred approach to the care we deliver.”
This underlines the critical role of our work in promoting carer awareness and support. The Trust’s commitment to prioritising carers’ needs reflects the broader movement within healthcare to ensure that carers are identified, supported, and recognised in all areas of care.
CPFT held a Carer Friendly Tick celebration event on Carers Rights Day in November at Huntingdon Town Hall. The event featured a presentation from the Community Paediatrics team, which was the first department within CPFT to achieve the award and they have since renewed their accreditation.
The team shared their experience, highlighting the importance of identifying individuals in caring roles, whether they are parent carers, adult carers, young carers, or even colleagues who are carers themselves;
“Since achieving our carers tick in health, we have realised how important it is that people in a caring situation need to identify themselves as carers, may this be parent carers, adult carers, young carers as well as our colleague who are carers, as once this role is identified then support can be found. Being Carer Champions, we are constantly learning about carers rights and what support is available in our area so we can offer information and signpost carers. We ensure all our work colleagues are aware how to support carers so this is a team effort, but we also recognise and acknowledge our colleagues who are carers and may need support in the work environment. We are very proud to be Carer Champions in health, and we strive to ensure carers are at the heart of our care.”
CPFT staff have also reported personal benefits from the initiative, noting that the carer-friendly approach has improved support for staff members who are carers themselves. The Trust plans to extend its focus on carer support by also applying for the Carer Friendly Tick Award from an employer’s perspective.
This commitment is particularly significant as around 32% of NHS staff in England provide unpaid care, with experts suggesting that the actual figure may be even higher, as many staff members have not yet identified themselves as carers. The Trust’s work in supporting both staff and patients who are carers aligns with national efforts to create more inclusive and supportive healthcare environments.
CPFT’s ongoing initiatives demonstrate the vital importance of recognising and supporting carers within healthcare systems, ensuring that they receive the recognition and assistance they need to thrive in their roles.
If your organisation wants support and guidance to work towards a Carer Friendly Tick Award and be given recognition for how you identify and support carers that you work with, then please email [email protected] or call us on 01480 499090.
