Information about how the carer support team at Hopewood Park can work work with carers to provide support during their loved one’s recovery.
A carer is someone who looks after another person, usually a family member or friend, who could not manage without their support due to illness, disability, mental health problems or an addiction.
Caring for someone could include helping with:
- Cooking
- Phone calls
- Personal care
- Attending appointments
- Emotional support
- Medication
We will work in partnership with carers and families to involve you, not just because we have a statutory duty to do so, but because we want to and appreciate that your knowledge and experience, as a carer, can benefit and improve the care we give. We understand that carers play a critical role and without your support, we would not be able to deliver the hope, treatment and care that we always aim to do.
For further information please ask staff for a copy of the Carer Promise, which is also available at www.
The carer support team are based on site at Hopewood Park. The team has two ‘carer leads’ whose role is to support carers.
Kay Davison
Covering:
- Beckfield
- Longview
- Shoredrift
- Springrise
Laura Tarbett
Covering:
- Aldervale
- Clearbrook
- Bridgewell
- Brooke House
The carer support team, work with carers to provide additional support and time to listen to families and carers concerns and support them during their loved one’s recovery.
The carer support team can:
- Listen to family/carer needs. The team work flexibly, and can meet you on site or contact you by telephone call if you’d prefer. This can be outside of the team’s regular weekday office hours for those who work shift patterns.
- Speak with carers to find out about their loved one’s history and any useful information about the patient from the carers perspective. This information can then be used in the patients care plan eg likes and dislikes, triggers
- Advocate for families and carers during meetings, whether they can attend or not.
- Update families and carers on a patient’s recovery and attend meetings to feedback for family/carer when they cannot attend themselves (where patient gives consent to share this information).
- Support families and carers to identify other needs they may have i.e.- referrals for carers assessment, referral to local carers centre to access support groups and/or training.
- Provide carer events and drop-in sessions so that face to face support can be given, and families and carers can meet one another, ward teams and multidisciplinary team (MDT) to gain a wider understanding of what the Trust provides to promote patient’s recovery.
“When my son is on the ward and unwell he struggles to talk to me, The carer lead is able to regularly provide me with an update on his wellbeing, eating, drinking, the small things that are reassuring to know” (Relative of patient on acute ward)
“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for listening. I feel better knowing I have someone who is able to listen to my concerns and link in with the ward to share these and give feedback to me.” (Relative of patient on rehabilitation ward)
“I have never received so much support and information as a carer during any of my relative’s inpatient admissions” (Relative of patient on acute ward)
If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:
- talk to the people directly involved in your care
- ask a member of staff for a feedback form, or complete a form on the Trust website www.cntw.nhs.uk/contact/complaints/
- telephone the Complaints Department Tel: 0191 245 6672
- email complaints@cntw.nhs.uk
We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention.
You can provide feedback in the following ways:
- the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.
- complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff
- other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved ones care.
We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.
PALS
Tel: 0800 032 0202
Email: pals
Post: FREEPOST PALS
South of Tyne
Tel: 0800 328 4397
Text: 07825 061 035
Email: pals@
Post: Patient Advice and Liaison Service, Garden Lodge, Hopewood Park, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0NB
9.00 am – 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday
An answerphone is available at all times for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.
If you would like to have a discussion with a member of the carer support team, please contact:
Kay Davison
Tel: 07773 136 046
Laura Tarbett
Tel: 07890 910 623
Alternatively, you can speak to a member of ward staff who can make a referral to the carer support team who will then contact you.
There is a range of useful information available online at www.
- Carer Promise
- Caring for someone? Preparing for conversations with the care team
- Useful contacts for carers
- Carer card
- Mummy is poorly
- Mummy is a hero
Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.
This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 246 7288
Published by the Patient Information Centre
2025 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref, PIC/893/0725 July 2025 V2
Tel: 0191 246 7288
Review date 2026