Carers in the Northumberland area will receive improved health-check provision as part of a £16m government pilot scheme.
Northumberland Care Trust was chosen as one of 25 sites that will test a variety of ways to support people who provide care for friends or relatives.
The care trust will team up with GP surgeries and local charity Carers Northumberland to spend £525,000 of government funding offering health checks to carers for the next two years.
The checks will be provided for carers in their own home or at locations that fit in with each carer’s schedule.
Providing unpaid care for friends or family can take its toll on a carer’s health, and many struggle to find the time or the energy to get themselves down to their local GP surgery.
Other sites participating in the pilot programme will look at different ways of supporting carers more effectively. Methods will include short breaks, replacement care schemes and health and wellbeing training and advice.
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