Registering as unpaid carer with GP?

[Aintforme]

I have been told by the gp I must register as an unpaid carer. Can I be compelled to do this?

[turkeymuffin]

Of course not. It's not the law.

But why do they want you to? What benefit is there?

[Dearg]

Why does the gp want this ? Is it so you might get support or is it to support another patient?
If the former, might be worthwhile.
If the latter my advice would be not to. If social services think a person needing support already has a carer, they will stand by and let you grind yourself into the ground.

[Auntieobem]

Nof course you can't be compelled to. But it might be helpful to you. In Scotland your entitled to an assessment and a carers support plan and this could be one route to it.

[DustyLee123]

No, but it does entitle you to a yearly flu jab, and a health check.

[colouredball]

They told you that you must? Or they said 'you should' during a conversation?


Of course you don't have to, but having it noted down can be helpful.

[Lindy2]

I'm registered as a carer for my daughter at our GPs.

The only thing it changed was that I became eligible for a NHS flu vaccination and when the Covid vaccinations were rolled out carers were a specific category of vaccination and I became eligible for the vaccination several months earlier than my age category.

I registered. It was literally just a short online form to fill in. I haven't seen any downside and no one has ever suggested a care assessment or anything like that.

[EvenLess]

If you don't want to do it with the GP, maybe consider registering with your local carers charity. They can often provide information and advice on caring for somebody (including how to get carers assessments and navigate things with Adult Social Care) and ongoing support if you need it.

[Aintforme]

I will get a free flu jab but I am already entitled to a free jab. I usually pay for one in a pharmacy in any case.

I was trying to book an appointment for my child. I couldn't take the only one available and stupidly explained I was taking a parent to a different appointment elsewhre that day. The receptionist told me, among other things, that I must be registered with them as a carer.

One of the other things she told me was factually incorrect, which is why I was asking if the requirement to register as a carer was correct.

[colouredball]

I think this is a question of language not law.

She said 'must' but she meant 'can' or 'should' not you have to

I think she was trying to be helpful when you mentioned you have caring duties and there is nothing more to it

[Aintforme]

I don't believe she was trying to be helpful, as she told me I needed the permission of the court of protection.

[Peekaboobo]

@Aintforme

I don't believe she was trying to be helpful, as she told me I needed the permission of the court of protection.

You don't need the permission of the court of protection to take your parents to a hospital appointment and no, you don't need to register as a carer at your GP practice. I hope this clears things up for you.

[Aintforme]

I know I don't need the permission of the court of protection! This is why I was questioning whether anything else she said was correct!

[Davros]

I would be suspicious as she's talking nonsense about the COP. But I am registered as DH's carer as it means they will deal with me about prescriptions, appointments etc. As we have to fund care ourselves, no-one will be making me step in but that could happen if you're looking for funded care.

[colouredball]

@Aintforme

I don't believe she was trying to be helpful, as she told me I needed the permission of the court of protection.

Permission for what? To take someone to an appointment or to be on a list of unpaid carers?

[Theeyeballsinthesky]

I don’t know where you are OP but there are some benefits to registering though of course you don’t have to

https://www.actionforcarers.org.uk/how-we-help/practical-support/register-as-a-carer-with-your-gp/

from a planning carers support perspective it’s really helpful to know how many carers there are in a local authority area so we can think about services to support them/funding etc

[Aintforme]

My parent will be self funding if paid care is ever required. Parent has full capacity so doesn't need me to deal with most things at this point, just things they can't physically manage.

I didn't use the word carer at all. I just said sorry, I couldn't take the appointment she had offered as I was taking my parent to hospital that day and it was like an alarm bell had gone off and the whole tone changed. My parent is registered at the same surgery but the call was not about the parent.

I am probably making something out of nothing but the conversation unnerved me.

[Alphabet1spaghetti2]

It isn’t a legal requirement! It’s supposed to help you get extra help and support. But I found it was just another tick box exercise which resulted in sod all for me as a carer. Just made the GP practice a few extra pennies and made them feel good. I was already eligible for the flu vaccine.
Funnily enough it’s taken 5 years and counting, to get them to remove the carer tag from my Dr notes, every year they send me a text stating that I’m registered as a carer, and every year they are told no, I am no longer a carer. We shall see if I get yet another text next year asking me to confirm I’m still a carer! (And still no benefit to me being listed as a carer).

[colouredball]

I am probably making something out of nothing but the conversation unnerved me.

Unnerved? That is an extreme reaction.

[MereDintofPandiculation]

@Davros

I would be suspicious as she's talking nonsense about the COP. But I am registered as DH's carer as it means they will deal with me about prescriptions, appointments etc. As we have to fund care ourselves, no-one will be making me step in but that could happen if you're looking for funded care.

There are other ways of achieving this. My father wrote to his GP asking for me to have full access to his medical records.

[Aintforme]

I dont think it was an extreme reaction. I phoned for an appointment for my child and the next thing the receptionist is saying they have to get the court of protection involved.

[colouredball]

@Aintforme

I dont think it was an extreme reaction. I phoned for an appointment for my child and the next thing the receptionist is saying they have to get the court of protection involved.

Oh wait, they said the HAD to get COP involved? That's not even your original question.

I think, again this is done to language or processing and understanding.

[Aintforme]

I know perfectly well they can't get the CoP involved over this so my question was not about that. I had never heard of any requirement that I must be registered as an unpaid carer which is what I posted about because I didn't know whether this was the case. Particularly given that I don't even consider myself to be a carer.

[MyGooseisTotallyLoose]

@Aintforme

I dont think it was an extreme reaction. I phoned for an appointment for my child and the next thing the receptionist is saying they have to get the court of protection involved.

Surely you asked why?

[MyGooseisTotallyLoose]

The only thing I can think of is if your child needed urgent medical attention and you said you weren't going to do this?

[TraitorsGate]

Was it the gp or reception that said this.