We advise all carers to create an emergency plan – for you and all those you look after. Having a plan in place can help ease your worries if you are not able to care for those you look after at any point in the future.
Having important information in one place could be of immense support and help when needed at a critical time. Talk about the plan with the person you care for, if possible, and also with those you would like to be named emergency contacts.
It would also be useful to share it with trusted family members or friends and healthcare professionals. Give people a copy of the plan – or let them know where they can find it and make sure the information is regularly updated.
If you do not already have a plan in place, you can use the carers emergency plan template to create one.
Carers Emergency Alert Card
The Carers Emergency Alert Card will identify you as a carer in the event of an accident.
It is credit-card-size so it will fit in a wallet or purse. The card only has your unique PIN number and contact details for the Connected Care Service. No personal information is recorded on the card.
How the scheme works
Carers register with the scheme and provide information about the person they look after (for example, medication) and the names of people who can be contacted in the event of an emergency and who have keys to your home. This information is held by the Connected Care service.
If the Connected Care service receives a call that you have had an accident, they will take action as follows (depending on what has happened to you):
- contact family or friends to inform them what has happened
- contact the person you care for and inform them
- check that the person’s support needs are being met
- arrange emergency help as required
This service is available to all unpaid carers. Even if you are not able to provide all the emergency contacts, please get in touch. It will not necessarily exclude you from the scheme.
How to join the scheme
To join the scheme you must be registered as a carer with Haringey Council.
To register, you can complete the online registration form from the register as a carer page. Alternatively, you can contact us.
For general information about the emergency alert card scheme, call the Connected Care service on 020 8489 2365, quoting Carers Emergency Alert Card, or email safeandsound@haringey.gov.uk.
There is no charge for carers to be a member of the scheme.
How the Carers Emergency Alert Card can help you
The Carers Emergency Alert Card:
- will give you peace of mind
- means you can be less anxious about going out and leaving the person you care for at home
- gives you freedom from worrying that if anything happens to you, the person you care for will be contacted to check that their support needs are being met
- identifies you as a carer in the event of an accident and details of that person are held on the system
Anyone finding the card (for example, emergency services staff) will be able to contact the scheme, which is run by the Connected Care Service. Staff will look up the carer’s emergency plans in their records and put them into action,