Unpaid Carers: Patient Hospital Discharge

Baroness Andrews Excerpts

Thursday 19th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I know the noble Lord will be aware of the better care fund, to which there is a commitment of some £9 billion. It can be used in various ways, including in the way that he described. I look forward to the work of the LGA’s better care fund support programme that we will commission this year so that we can work with NHS and social care partners, because we need to strengthen the approach of not just involving but supporting unpaid carers. Discharge should not take place if carers are not able to fulfil the duties that it is assumed they can fulfil.

[Baroness Andrews (Lab)]

My Lords, it is good to hear that there is real awareness of the issues caused by this. It is one of the most acute problems in the whole provision of social care, and it falls hard on unpaid carers when they do not even know how or who to ask for help. It has been diagnosed many times as a big issue. There used to be co-ordinator discharge people in hospitals who would help with this process. Are there still such posts? The news about the LGA work is welcome in relation to co-ordination when it counts and support for unpaid carers, who are the experts here. They are not passive arbitrators; they need to have their own knowledge and expertise recognised in this process. Is there provision at the hospital level for this?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

My noble friend makes exactly the right points. We certainly recognise the vital role that unpaid carers play in supporting those who are to be discharged. Decisions about staffing and the approach—I emphasise that a multidisciplinary approach is clearly needed here—are a matter for local areas, but I can say in addition that there is a regular cross-government meeting, which is really important when it comes to joining up the approach, that looks at providing unpaid carers with the recognition and support that they need, as my noble friend said. We are also working towards publishing a cross-government action plan later this year. So in this area, including the LGA work, the kind of approach that my noble friend talks about will certainly be considered.