You Said, We Did: How Sandwell Carers Are Helping Shape Our Service
In August, we brought Carers together for a Sandwell Carers Voice session to hear directly about their experiences of Sandwell Carers Service – what is working well, where there are gaps, and what we can do differently.
Alongside the group discussion, we gathered questionnaire feedback from Carers. While the questionnaire was a relatively small sample, the feedback gives us valuable insight and, importantly, a clear direction for improving the service.
We want Carers Voice to lead to action. Since the session, we have been working through what Carers told us and making practical changes.
What Carers told us
There was plenty of positive feedback.
- 90% of respondents said they felt recognised as a Carer
- 80% said they knew where to get information, felt treated with dignity and respect, felt listened to and knew who to contact if their circumstances changed.
Carers also told us that support was making a difference. Among those for whom the questions were applicable:
- 88% felt more confident asking for help
- 78% felt better able to continue caring.
However, Carers were equally clear about where more needs to be done.
You Said
“Help us feel more connected”
Only 30% of respondents felt connected to their local community, and 43% of applicable respondents reported an improvement in isolation.
Carers told us that groups, activities and opportunities to meet others matter – not simply as something to attend, but as a way of building relationships with people who understand the realities of caring.
What have we done?
We have expanded the Carer groups and drop-ins promoted through our website, including online and evening opportunities and links to additional activities through community partners.
We have expanded the Carer groups and drop-ins promoted through our website, including online and evening opportunities and links to additional activities through community partners.
We have a NEW Carer stories section on our website where Carers explain the impact of our support and how groups, community drop-ins and peer support can help people make connections.
We have even added a toolkit and Angela’s story to our website to encourage Carers who may be interested in creating their own group and building new connections within their community.
You Said
“Make support fit around our lives”
Carers told us they wanted more flexible support, particularly for Working Carers. Evening and online opportunities were important for people balancing caring with employment or those who simply cannot leave the person that they care for.
What have we done?
We have added online and evening Carer support groups to our What’s On webpage, added more information for Working Carers and introduced online Carer Card Discovery Sessions.
We are also developing pre-recorded workshops so Carers can access information at a time that works for them.
A NEW Support When You Need It webpage brings together 24/7 and online support options, and we are developing a 24/7 chatbot for the Sandwell Carers Service website.
You Said
“More people need to know the service is here”
Carers felt Sandwell Carers Service was still relatively new and needed greater visibility across the borough.
What have we done?
We have increased promotion in a number of ways. Posters are displayed in libraries where our regular Carer drop-ins take place, we have invested in Facebook advertising and acted on the suggestion to explore promotion through the Sandwell Herald.
Adding news articles about our outreach work as well as Carer’s stories such as Jenifer, Alina, Lisa and Gurpreet highlights our presence in the community and showcases the difference we have made to Carers in Sandwell.
New Carers joining the service receive a series of Carer Journey emails over 12 weeks, helping them gradually discover the different support available. And Carer ID Card applicants are now sent an updated letter promoting our service and a Sandwell Carers Service leaflet.
You Said
“Make support inclusive and relevant to our communities”
Carers told us that signposting should reflect people’s cultural preferences and trusted community connections, including support relevant to Sandwell’s diverse communities.
What have we done?
We have improved and renamed the Community Partners section of our website, reminded Advisers to signpost Carers to relevant community partners and encouraged partners to refer Carers into Sandwell Carers Service.
We are also increasing the visibility of our outreach across Sandwell’s diverse communities. This has included attending the Birmingham and Sandwell Mela to raise awareness of support among the wider South Asian community
You Said
“Identify us before we reach crisis”
One of the strongest messages was that Carers want to be recognised earlier, rather than waiting until their caring situation reaches crisis point.
Six out of ten questionnaire respondents identified earlier recognition and offers of support as a priority. Hospitals were most frequently identified as somewhere this should happen, followed by GPs, mental health services, schools and Adult Social Care.
What have we done?
We are continuing to strengthen awareness of unpaid caring with GPs, hospitals and health professionals, including through hospital drop-ins and Carer Champion Training.
We are also reminding Carers about the importance of registering as a Carer with their GP and sharing information about support within hospitals, including the Essential Companion Access Card and Martha’s Rule. This information is available on our Support from Health Professionals page.
You Said
“Give us more opportunities to have our say”
Only 50% of questionnaire respondents felt positively that they were involved in decisions affecting them. At the same time, the focus group showed just how powerful Carer involvement can be.
What have we done?
We have updated our Carers Voice webpage to make the different ways Carers can get involved and have their say clearer. We are sharing lived-experience stories, including those of Dawn and Angela, to demonstrate how Carers Voice can influence services, and we will actively promote consultations and surveys affecting Carers in Sandwell.
To read more about what we have done in response to your feedback, please read the You Said, We Did newsletter.👇
This is an ongoing conversation
The August session wasn’t simply about collecting feedback. It was about listening, learning and turning what Carers told us into practical improvements.
There is more to do. In particular, we want to continue improving early identification, connections between health, social care and community support, flexible access, social connection and opportunities for Carers to influence the services and systems that affect their lives.
Our message to Sandwell Carers is simple: please keep providing feedback.
Your experiences – positive and negative – help us understand what really matters. By sharing your views, taking part in Carers Voice activities and telling us where things could be better, you are helping us build a service that responds to the realities of caring in Sandwell.
You said. We listened. We did – and we will keep listening.
