Keywords
Citation
(2003), "UK. Scottish project wins health award", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 16 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2003.06216bab.007
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited
UK. Scottish project wins health award
UK
Scottish project wins health award
Keywords: Young carers, Empowerment, Developing guidelines
The Skye and Lochalsh Young Carers project, which supports 37 young carers and helps ensure that policy makers in local health and social services are sensitive to their needs, has won the 2002 health award in the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) and The Guardian Public Involvement Awards. The awards aim to recognise projects that empower people to engage in issues that affect their lives and play a role in decision-making.
The young people working in the project have developed guidelines to help hospital staff improve how they support young carers visiting the person they care for and have liased with service providers and Members of the Scottish Parliament on the Carers' Bill.
The ippr/Guardian Public Involvement Awards 2002 were sponsored by the King's Fund and the Improvement and Development Agency, and the panel of judges was chaired by the King's Fund's Director of Health Policy, Anna Coote.
Laura Edwards, senior research fellow at ippr, said: "The awards are all about bringing to life one of the basic ideals of democracy – the active political involvement of citizens. People may be shunning the polling stations but public involvement can give them the chance to engage in issues directly relevant to their lives."
"The Skye and Lochalsh Young Carers project places carers right at the centre. Young carers have a clear sense that they own the project and are working with service providers to make sure that their needs are taken into account."