Carers Emergency Card Scheme

What is the scheme?

The Carers Emergency Card scheme provides you the carer with a card (much like a donor card) which can be carried in your purse or wallet. This card alerts the person finding it (such as the emergency services) that there is someone who relies on you for help.

The scheme is designed to provide short-term access to emergency cover for the carer in the event that the carer unexpectedly can't undertake their caring role. Emergencies in this case could involve the carer being admitted to hospital, family emergencies or specific occasions when a carer's job is at risk.

Care can be provided for the person you care for, for up to 48 hours, unless this period runs into a weekend and then emergency cover can be extended up to 96 hours. After this time, the responsibility for cover will be placed with Adult Care Management. Please note that there is no charge for care provided in an emergergency, for a maximum of 72 hours until other arrangements can be made. After this time the Council's normal Contributions Policy will apply.

When you register for the scheme, you will be asked to provide the names and contact details of two 'nominated people' who could take over from you in an emergency. Don't worry if you can't think of anyone though - this isn't a barrier to joining the scheme.

We will also ask you to complete a basic 'Plan of Care; which tells us exactly what you do and when. This will help us to make sure the person you care for receives the same level of care that you provide.

Once you are accepted onto the scheme, we will send you your Emergency Card. The card will have your name and unique reference number on it, along with the Careline telephone number.

Once a call is made to Careline, they will first try to contact the two nominated people to see if they can provide help. If they are unable to cover for you, either Careline will arrange cover, or they will contact the Social Services Emergency Duty Teams.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible for this scheme you must care for someone who is aged 18 or over and you must have had a Carers Assessment within the last 12 months.

This assessment can be either a joint assessment with the person you care for, or an individual one.

How do I register?

To register for the scheme, either contact the Carers Information Officer (details below), or download the application forms here:

• Download the Registration Form(pdf, 29KB)
• Download the Plan of Care(pdf, 25KB)

and return to:

Carers Information Officer
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
44 York Street,
Civic Centre 3rd floor
Twickenham.
TW1 3BZ

More information on Carers Emergency Card Scheme

Please contact the Carers Information Officer.

Telephone: 020 8487 5020
Email: max.skrzeczynski@richmond.gov.uk