2023 Support Service for Carers in Aberdeenshire

The introduction of the Carers Act established rights for all carers to support, information and advice; and to be listened to in decisions about the care and support of the person they are caring for.

The purpose of this Prior Information Notice is to engage with providers with the relevant capacity, expertise and experience to develop and deliver a support service that responds to this service requirement. The Carers Support Service will offer an information and advice service for adult and young unpaid carers which provides information and advice on advocacy, carers’ rights, income maximisation and emergency or future planning. It will support carers to complete the Adult Carers Support Plan and Young Carers Statements

The key aims an Aberdeenshire Carers Support Service are:

· To support the identification of Carers through contact with Health and Social Care Teams, other third sector organisations and through the development of innovative ways to engage with hidden Carers

· To provide Carers with advice and information and enable them to access resources within their communities

· To support Carers to maintain their own health and wellbeing

· To provide learning and development opportunities to enable Carers to continue in their Caring role

The specification for the service will respond to the National Carers’ Strategy (December 2022) and its recognition

· that the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 aims to ensure that carers have choice and control, and can access preventative support to keep caring situations manageable.

· of the impact of demographic pressures and of the COVID-19 pandemic on carers

· of the value of carers to the health and social care system.

This PIN is not a call for competition but aims to test the market and support the development of appropriate future commissioning arrangements. It is anticipated that a tender opportunity in relation to this service requirement will be advertised on PCS-T in September 2023