Working with Carers, Family and Kin
A Guide for Healthcare Professionals
This guide is intended for all healthcare professionals, including those in both clinical and non-clinical roles, such as doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals.
4 Steps for Including Carers
This guide outlines four steps aimed at improving collaboration with carers.
By following the steps below, healthcare professionals can build strong partnerships with carers and improve the health outcomes for the carer and the person who requires care.
- Ask the patient who supports them and what role they play
- Gain permission to involve carers in care discussions
- Record this in patient files
- Recognise and validate carers’ knowledge and experience
- Use active listening, open questions and simple language
- Establish communication preferences (email, phone etc.)
- Involve carers in discharge planning and transitions
- Always seek consent for sharing personal details
- Explain benefits of sharing info, and allow withdrawal of consent
- Even without consent, general information can be shared
- Give carers, relevant, understandable health information
- Share general updates when full consent isn’t given
- Include contact details for Carer Peer Workers or resources
