Have your say

York Carers Centre aims to provide all its users with the best possible service at all times. It is important to us that people are able to express their feelings and experiences of the services we provide. These can be both good and bad. If we know what your experience is, we can build on what we are doing well and introduce changes where they are needed. If you are unhappy with your experience, we also need to know. This will help us improve our services for all who use them.

We like carers to feel as though the service is theirs and want you to feel comfortable to share your views and suggestions in groups, through any one-to-one support or at any stage you have contact with us. We regularly have planning meetings, steering groups and involve carers in various aspects of our planning and development. We are sometimes limited by our funding requirements, but we will always listen and consider any carers views, comments or suggestions and we love to hear from you. Please see below for ways to get in touch.

York Carers Centre sends out an annual survey to all carers registered with us, so please do use this opportunity to give us your feedback. We use this to influence decision making about our services and ensure we are working towards meeting the needs of carers.

Have Your Say at the Carers Action Group

The Carers Action Group brings together unpaid carers, York Carers Centre staff and professionals from local organisations to listen and act.

This group offers an opportunity for you to share your experiences, raise the issues that matter most and influence the support available to carers in York.

The group meets four times a year. Details of the next meeting can be found on our activities page here.

If you would like to find out more about the group or talk to someone before you come, please contact us on enquiries@yorkcarerscentre.co.uk. New carers are always welcome and there is no commitment required to attend every meeting.

Have Your Say at the Carers Strategy Group

The Carers Strategy Group is run by City of York Council. Carers, professionals and staff from York Carers Centre meet four times a year to discuss the Carers Strategy and the action plan to work to improve the support for carers across the city.

If you would like to get involved, please contact: IntegratedCommissioning@york.gov.uk and mark it ‘For the Attention of Carers Strategy Group’. Alternatively let us know.

Have Your Say at Healthwatch York

Healthwatch York is your way to influence local health and social care services – hospitals, GP surgeries, home care services and many others. They also provide information about local services to help you find the right support.

To give feedback, comments and compliments on a wide range of health and social care services please visit their website here.

Have Your Say at about services across York

If you would like to take part in any local authority consultations, they are listed on the City of York Council website here.

At York Hospital (York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, unpaid carers who would like to be involved in carers improvement work or want to take part in their yearly unpaid carers experience survey can contact the Patient Experience Team on:

yhs-tr.PatientEDI@nhs.net

Or by calling 01904 725556

Look out for many opportunities to have your say as we regularly share local relevant consultations in our newsletter and e-bulletins.

At Young Carers we regularly get opportunities for young people to have their say about issues which affect them either directly or indirectly because of their caring role. We have been involved in Young Carers National Voice, a group of young people from different young carers services across the country. We also attend Nothing About Us Without Us events, which is a group for young people to directly influence, shape, and improve local services.

We are always seeking opportunities for young carers to speak to professionals and schools about how support can be improved and to raise awareness and regularly have visitors attending our youth clubs. It is part of our ethos to talk openly and get feedback. We also consult about activities we plan so young people have an input. Each year we conduct an annual survey which is also used to shape our service.

Through our monthly peer-support Social for carers aged 16-25 we regularly create opportunities for carers to be involved in giving feedback to the services that matter to them.

We always love to receive compliments or hear about any positive experiences you may have had with us, but we also recognise that sometimes things may go wrong. If you want to make a complaint or give any feedback, please email, telephone or write in the first instance to:

By post: York Carers Centre, 17 Priory Street, York, YO1 6ET

Email: enquiries@yorkcarerscentre.co.uk

Telephone: 01904715490

If you would prefer it to go straight to a manager please mark for the attention of Sharron Smith, CEO. Our full Comments and Complaints Policy is available here.