Edinburgh Carer Support

The Edinburgh Carer Support Team works within the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership (EHSCP) to support unpaid carers. The team can provide information and support to carers living in Edinburgh, or carers looking after someone who lives in Edinburgh. However please also see Resources and Links for services available in other parts of Lothian, or which are Lothian-wide.

The Edinburgh Carer Support Team will offer carers an Adult Carer Support Plan (formerly known as Carers Assessment) and guidance in accessing:

Grants and benefits
One to one support and counselling
Peer support
Short breaks and replacement care (respite)
Training
Befriending
Complementary therapies
Emergency planning
Future Care Planning

We offer support in a way that most suits the needs of the carer. We can provide written or telephone advice or meet carers face to face. Meetings can be held at local carer support organisations or EHSCP premises. We can also offer carers a home visit.

A carer is generally defined as a person of any age who provides unpaid help and support to a relative, friend or neighbour who cannot manage to live independently without the carers help, due to frailty, illness, disability or addiction.

Often people are unsure if they are a carer as they see themselves as a spouse, son, daughter, sibling or friend. It can be helpful to consider these questions about the person they look after:

Could the person being cared for manage day-to-day life on their own?
Could they cope without the help and support of the carer?
Does the carer have enough time to look after themselves properly?

C.M & K.L 11-06-24

Who to refer:

Unpaid carers who are aged 18-years and over and live in Edinburgh or care for someone who lives in Edinburgh. The carer may be just starting to, or already undertaking, a caring role for another person.

Please refer any carer who wishes support, does not have enough time to look after themselves properly, and where the person being cared for could not manage day-to-day life on their own and couldn’t cope without the help and support of the carer.

Who not to refer:

Young carers who are under 18-years of age (for young carer support, please see Edinburgh Young Carers Project: https://www.youngcarers.org.uk/ )
Any paid professional carers or volunteer carers.

If in any doubt, please call Carer Support Team helpline on 0131 536 3371 or email loth.carersupport@nhs.scot

How to refer:

SCI Gateway users can refer under Astley Ainslie Hospital / Social Care / LI Carer Support
Complete a carer support referral form with the carer’s details and send to loth.carersupport@nhs.scot
Call 0131 536 3371.
EHSCP staff can also refer via Swift/AIS using inbox 7523, referring from the carer’s record.

Future Care Planning Resources for Community Social Care Teams – https://services.nhslothian.scot/futurecareplanning/community-health-and-social-care/

https://www.edinburghhsc.scot/carers

Edinburgh Carer Support Team

Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, Level 1:8
Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street
Edinburgh EH8 8BG
Tel: 0131 536 3371
Email: carer.support@nhs.scot

Web: Edinburgh Carer Support Team – The City of Edinburgh Council

Care for Carers

Room 4.25
St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road
Edinburgh EH7 6AE
Tel: 0131 661 2077
Email: enquiries@care4carers.org.uk
Web: www.care4carers.org.uk

Edinburgh Carers Council

For those supporting someone with mental health difficulties, personality disorder or learning disabilities.
14 Links Place, Edinburgh EH6 7EZ
Tel: 0131 322 8480
Email: info@edinburghcarerscouncil.co.uk
Web: www.edinburghcarerscouncil.co.uk

Edinburgh Young Carers Project

Norton Park, 57 Albion Road,
Edinburgh EH7 5QY
Tel: 0131 475 2322
Email: info@youngcarers.org.uk
Web: www.youngcarers.org.uk

MECOPP

Supporting black and minority ethnic carers.
Norton Park, 57 Albion Road
Edinburgh EH7 5QY
Tel: 0131 467 2994
Email: info@mecopp.org.uk
Web: www.mecopp.org.uk

VOCAL Edinburgh

60 Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 5HB
Tel: 0808 196 6666
Email: centre@vocal.org.uk
Web: www.vocal.org.uk

Voice Ability

Provides advocacy for unpaid carers.

Tel: 0300 303 1660

Email: helpline.scotland@voiceability.org

Web: www.voiceability.org/in-scotland