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They say its hard to do!

Well I never found breaking up from school difficult and as Friday approaches I'm looking forward to having a break from work over the weekend , to have a Saturday lie in, to meet friends for lunch and to take a long walk with the dogs on Sunday – nothing too exciting you may think but for many people who are caring for a relative or friend who is ill, disabled or frail these are things that they would give their eye teeth to be able to do. Having a break from caring, being able to choose what you do with that break – not too much to ask you would think for people who give so much.

When the Government's Carers' Strategy – Cares at the heart of 21st-century families and communities - was published in 2008 one of the things that really stood out for me was the commitment to give £150m over 2 years to provide breaks for carers via Primary Care Trusts. I thought this was so important because it meant more than just money – it meant recognition of the vital role that health professionals have to play in identifying, informing and supporting carers. So how disappointing it is to write now that as far as we have been able to find out only 23% of £50m given in 2009/10 was used to increase support for carers - it wasn't ring fenced and so PCTs did not have to use it for the purpose for which it was intended.

Last year we focused a lot of effort, working jointly with the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, surveying local Crossroads Care Schemes and Carers Centres and asking PCTs for information so that we could publish our findings in a report – No breaks for carers. We were very disappointed at the 23% figure but turned our attention to trying to make sure that more of the £100m for 2010/11 would help carers. We wanted to influence the NHS Operating plan to strengthen the guidance given but to no avail so in the coming months we'll continue to raise the issue, make the case and try to influence those PCTs who don't appear to see the vital role played by carers - but we'll also make sure that we recognise those PCTs that do and provide help and support. Carers – like all of us – need a break and without it they risk not breaking up but breaking down.