NRS Healthcare is celebrating its three-year anniversary partnership with a charity that transforms the lives of unpaid carers.

During that time, NRS Healthcare colleagues have carried out a variety of fundraising events, which have raised more than £30,000 for the Carers Trust.

One of the largest events took place earlier this year, when six colleagues abseiled Portsmouth’s iconic Spinnaker Tower.

Development Director Nigel Thacker said:

“Carers are a hugely important support for the people we serve, and ensuring they are also supported is important to us and the whole Health and Social Care community. Through Carers Trust we have been able to work nationally to support carers, as well as locally in each of the areas we work. That hasn’t just involved raising money: we have gained really useful feedback on how we can improve our services by talking to carers, and indeed how we can better support those people working for NRS who are carers themselves.”

As a provider of community equipment services, NRS Healthcare staff regularly meet and work with unpaid carers and see first-hand the challenges they face. This was a major contributing factor in the decision to be an official partner of the Carers Trust.

Caring for a loved one often comes with additional financial costs, such as buying specialist equipment, medication and food, as well as travelling to and from hospital appointments. All of these costs already put a huge strain on unpaid carers’ finances and the pandemic put even greater pressure on them physically, mentally and financially.

Since the pandemic started:

70 % of carers are providing more care for their loved ones

55% are worried about being burnt out and not being able to take a break will impact negatively on their health and wellbeing

49% said they’d had to use their personal savings because of their caring role

67% of young carers and 78% of young adult carers are more worried about their future.

Part of the partnership includes working with local carer charities from Carers Trusts’ UK-wide network and supporting their provision of services in the communities we serve.

A spokesman for the Carers Trust said:

“Thanks to NRS Healthcare’s amazing support over the last three years, we have been able to continue providing essential services and support for unpaid carers when they’ve needed it the most.”

The money has helped unpaid carers with essential grants, enjoy a well-earned break, and purchase houseshold goods and IT equipment.