Carers (Hansard, 5 July 2000)

§ Mr. Hutton

Many carers will not have access to the Internet and will therefore be more likely to use other sources of information (such as: telephone helplines, carers' centres, leaflets in general practitioners' surgeries etc.). However, on-line services are an increasingly important element of information and support to carers as "Caring About Carers", the report of the National Carers Strategy, makes clear.

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The Department launched the Government's carers' website (www.carers.gov.uk) in February 2000 to allow the increasing numbers of carers who are on the Internet (or those supporting them such as carers' workers) easy access to a range of relevant Government information. There are links to National Health Service, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Social Security, Department for Education and Employment and Employment Service sites as well as those of carers' organisations. The Department of Health controls and updates the website to co-ordinate the links to make them easy for carers to use. The process of assessing the availability of on-line information is therefore an on-going one. The website has been very well received by carers and professionals.

The Department does not conduct detailed evaluations of all available on-line information services for carers. Starthere receives funding under s64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 and is being monitored and evaluated accordingly. Recent research undertaken in pilot sites in The Whittington Hospital and GPs' surgeries in North London revealed a very high level of satisfaction.

I am aware of the very helpful Staffordshire Carers' Information website (Resources Bank to Support the Caring Role at Staffordshire University Lichfield Centre) and my officials are making arrangements for a hyperlink from our website to be made to it.