Identifying yourself as a carer when supporting someone who is in hospital

Published

08/11/24

If you are caring for someone who has been admitted to hospital, it’s important that the health and social care professionals involved are aware of your vital role as a carer. Identifying yourself as a carer in a hospital setting gives you the opportunity to bring your valuable insights and knowledge to the situation which can be very helpful to the professional team. 

You should also be included in discussions and any decision-making processes that affect you and the person you care for, particularly around their care, treatment plans and the discharge process. Below we explore some of the steps you can take to identify yourself as a carer in a hospital.

Am I a carer?

You might be confident in your caring role and already know you are an unpaid carer, or you may never have really considered yourself to be a carer before the person you care for was admitted to hospital. If someone has been relying on you for any aspect of their care—like taking them to appointments, cooking for them, providing them with emotional support or picking up their prescriptions for example—you are a carer.

If the person who has been admitted to hospital will be relying on you to look after them when they are discharged, you are a carer. For more on what it means to be a carer, and the support available to you, please see our resources here. 

Introducing yourself

Introducing yourself to the medical staff as soon as the person you care for is admitted is a great first step. By explaining that you are their carer, you make it easier for them to identify you as an important contact who will need to be involved in the whole process, from admission to discharge and beyond. You will be able to provide lots of relevant information about their medical history, current medications, and specific care needs which they will appreciate.

Does the hospital have a Carer Liaison officer?

Most hospitals have dedicated Carer Liaison programmes that offer advice and information while a patient is in hospital and after discharge, and connecting with them early on can be very helpful. A Carer Liaison officer can make sure other people know who you are and connect you with hospital staff off the ward, like hospital social workers and case managers. They can also sometimes provide carers with a handy identification badge or a lanyard that helps staff recognise you and understand your role without you having to explain it repeatedly.

Your presence matters

Your presence during key times like admission, ward rounds, case conferences and discharge planning discussions is important. It’s at these points that you can ask questions if something is unclear, advocate for the person you care for where appropriate, and share your views, suggestions and concerns where necessary. 

Whenever possible, asking to accompany the person you care for to medical appointments and any tests within the hospital will help you to stay informed whilst also providing support. If you are not able to attend an important meeting in person, having your details available for a telephone or zoom call means you can be fully involved at every stage, including during the discharge process. Asking the Carer Liaison officer to support you with this can be helpful.

Making decisions on behalf of the person you care for

If you have legal authority to make medical decisions on behalf of the person you care for, ensuring that the hospital has copies of any relevant paperwork like Power of Attorney documents or Advance Decisions, can help ease the process. For more on this, please see our articles on Lasting Power of Attorney and Understanding DNR orders.

Your opinions and insights are important

You are in a crucial position as a carer because you know the person you care for so well and may see them more often than anyone else during their stay in the hospital. Regularly communicating with the nurses, doctors and other professionals involved means you can update them about any changes to their condition that they might not be aware of. This is vital because sometimes important changes can be missed by professionals who do not have your specific instincts and knowledge regarding the person you care for. 

From April 2024, over 100 hospital trusts are working with Martha’s Rule to prioritise patient safety. This policy means if ever you have a concern about the person you care for whilst they are in hospital, you have the right to call for a rapid review or second opinion from a senior doctor or critical care team within the same hospital. Martha’s Rule, and the 2022 Health and Care Act which emphasises carer involvement, should also go some way to address carers’ concerns of being overlooked, and feelings that their expertise is sometimes undervalued or ignored when supporting someone in hospital.

Speaking up as a carer

Sometimes you might not fully understand something that is said in a meeting or consultation, and it’s important to ask for someone to explain things in a different way so you can be clear on the details. Before the person you care for is discharged home, you might need to ask for more information about how you are going to be able to manage their condition or for training so you can feel confident to provide specific types of care.

Advocating for the person you care for can also be a key role you play as a carer, and it can sometimes feel very daunting to speak up in this way when you’re in an unfamiliar environment and surrounded by professionals. 

Our article on self-advocacy for carers is a great resource to support you in feeling more confident and empowered at a time that might already feel very busy and stressful for you.

Keeping a record

As a carer, you may already have a file that covers the medical history of the person you care for, including their current medications and other useful information, like special requirements due to their religion, or their Advance Care Plan (ACP). Keeping their file up to date means this valuable information can be easily shared with hospital staff.

Having a record of who you meet, what happens and when, will also be very useful. You might be meeting a lot of people, and asking for the names and contact details of the healthcare professionals involved and taking short notes about key points that are discussed can help you keep track of things.

This can also be part of making sure that the person you care for, and you as their carer, receive the right support going forward, and help avoid any misunderstandings later on. 

Access Support

Joining a support group, whether in person or online, can provide a sense of community with others who will understand some of what you are going through. Sharing experiences with others who have gone through similar situations can be comforting. 

Looking after yourself as a carer

When someone you care for is admitted to hospital it can be a very challenging time for you. There may be lots of practical tasks to consider, and some difficult feelings and emotions might be coming up for you.

It can be tricky to prioritise your own self-care when your focus is on supporting the person you care for, but looking after your own wellbeing will be key to you feeling stronger and more able to manage whatever comes next. See our resources on self-care for carers to explore the ways you can prioritise self-care.

You might be able to join a carer support group within the hospital itself. These groups can offer advice, resources, and a welcome sense of community during a time when it’s all too easy to feel isolated and alone. There are also online resources and forums for carers to gather information and share experiences, and there will be in-person peer groups in your local area too. 

This is also the time to strengthen your network of trusted family and friends. People will want to help, and who can all lend a hand in their own different ways. Either by offering practical or emotional support whilst the person you care for is in hospital.

The vital role you play when the person you care for is admitted to the hospital improves the experience of the person you care for. By positively identifying yourself as a carer from the start, you are also supporting yourself in feeling more empowered and confident as your caring journey continues.

Financial support

If you are at all worried about finances at this stage, you are not alone. Many carers say that they worried about money when they were suddenly not able to work full-time, for example, or needed to make expensive alterations to their home. It’s important to know that there is financial support available from your Local Authority in the form of benefits and grants. Our article on Getting financial support as a carer is a detailed guide to receiving the support you are entitled to.