Identifying carers' needs in the palliative setting

There are an estimated half a million people in the UK who provide unpaid care for a relative or friend with a life-limiting or terminal illness at any one time. Every year thousands of people take on a caring role, whereas others find that this role has ended. This guide has been developed by an expert working group, and provides a framework for developing a carers’ assessment process. It offers advice on how to identify carers and gives an overview of the assessment methods currently used by palliative care providers. The purpose of this document is to guide palliative care professionals in developing a process to identify carers’ needs that is relevant to their local context and provide, or refer/direct carers to, support services. This process is referred to as ‘carers’ assessment’ throughout the guide.