A team of nurses who support unpaid carers in the Great Yarmouth area has been nominated for a national award.
The Carer Support Nurse Service, run by East Coast Community Healthcare (ECCH), has been crowned the regional winner of the Nursing and Midwifery category at the NHS Parliamentary Awards – and will now go on to compete for the national prize.
The service sees a specialist nurse visit unpaid carers at home to carry out an assessment.
They can then address any immediate health needs and refer them to other ECCH teams, if required, such as occupational therapy.
The nurses aim to boost unpaid carers' skills and confidence to care and can also signpost them to other organisations which offer financial or social support.
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The team will now attend the national awards ceremony in London on July 5 - the NHS's 75th birthday - when the winners will be announced.
The Carer Support Nurse service was developed following research by a team from the University of East Anglia (UEA), led by Professor Morag Farquhar, into the perceived lack of health provision for unpaid carers.
They worked with ECCH to develop the role which is funded by Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board.
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Tricia D’Orsi, executive director of nursing, NHS Norfolk and Waveney, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to see this fantastic service recognised as a regional winner in this year’s Parliamentary Awards.
“The service supports our commitment to ensure our residents and communities receive the right care and support at the right time and right place.
"It’s vital we continue to support our carers. This is a shining example of doing just that.”
Professor Morag Farquhar said: “It is fantastic to see research taken into clinical practice to improve health service support of unpaid/family carers who play such a vital role but often with detrimental impacts on their own health and wellbeing."
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