Working carers are anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support.

Many of us will be a carer at some stage in our lives. The role can come about unexpectedly and many people will put their own lives on hold to help someone close to them.

Gateshead Health has signed the Working Carers Pledge, a commitment to supporting our staff who are carers outside of work. We have a range of policies available to support our working carers here – the most notable of which is probably our Leave Policy.

In the first instance, members of staff who are working carers should discuss the situation with their line managers. To make this easier, we have introduced Carer’s Passports – more of which can be found out about below, where you’ll also see information on the Carer’s Circle, an informal community of colleagues with similar challenges and experiences.