EFFORTS from Worcestershire County Council to support unpaid carers across the county has been praised by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).
The council has developed a pioneering project focused on better supporting unpaid carers when the people they care for are discharged from hospital.
Alongside Worcestershire Association of Carers, Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB, and Taking Care Ltd, the council is using assistive technology to ensure carers are able to access vital information and support at the point of hospital discharge.
Kathryn Marsden OBE, chief executive of Social Care Institute for Excellence said: “Worcestershire’s work in this area stands out as a strong example of how local systems can take practical steps toward transformation, particularly when those with lived experience are meaningfully engaged.”
The aim of the project is to provide carers with relevant information, signposting, support, access to assessments and assistive technology so they are able to access the right services if and when they need them.
The project was initially trialled at Evesham Hospital’s Stroke Ward and is now expanding to other sites. Efforts are also ensuring carers have access to assistive technology that can support people at home.
Assistive technology has enabled carers to continue working alongside their caring role, as well as allowing carers to take time away from caring to have a meaningful break, offering them peace of mind when they are not at home and a chance to maintain their own wellbeing.
The Social Care Institute for Excellence also highlighted the joined up working approach across social care, health, local authority, voluntary sector, and how technology has made the project more meaningful and sustainable.
Councillor Susan Eacock, cabinet member with responsibility for adult social care at Worcestershire County Council said: “Unpaid carers make an extraordinary contribution every day—often with little recognition and limited support. This project demonstrates how practical collaboration, and new approaches can make a real difference.”
The Council was awarded over £500,000 from the Department of Health and Social Care’s Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) in April 2024 to lead innovative work designed to improve adult social care across the region.
Karen Edwards, CEO of Worcestershire Association of Carers added: “The partnership working across the systems in Worcestershire and the commitment to improving the experience of hospital discharge for Carers has really been key to the success of the ARF Programme, as well as the valuable insight and experience of unpaid Carers which is essential to the innovation and transformation within social care.”
In addition, a countywide volunteering portal and a new network of ‘information first aiders’ are helping to create a stronger, more connected support system for unpaid carers across Worcestershire.
In recognition of their success, Worcestershire Association of Carers was recently invited to share their experience at SCIE’s Coproduction Week Conference and at a Parliamentary Reception at Westminster on 2 July 2025.
The project runs through to November 2025 and will continue to be evaluated for impact, with a focus on sustainability and scale across the county.
