Carers Health Needs Report

1st April 2014 – 31st March 2015

North is the fourth largest Scottish local authority, located in Central – mid-way between and . The 2011 census population for North Lanarkshire was 337. 727. The population per square kilometre is 719 persons making North Lanarkshire the fifth most densely populated council area after the four city local authorities. Since the 2001 census, the population has increased by 5%. This is the same percentage increase as seen in Scotland overall. There are estimated to be 49,000 unpaid carers in North Lanarkshire providing care on a regular basis (Scottish Household Survey 2007-2008).

 23% of carers provide 50 hours or more of care each week  Over 70% of carers have been providing care for over five years  11% of women undertake a caring role compared to 8% of men North Lanarkshire Carers Together North Lanarkshire Carers Together was established in November 2000. It is a registered charity (Charity No. SCO33795 and, since 2005, a company limited by guarantee (Company No. 284126). The organisation’s base is the carers’ centre at 51 Hope Street in . Co-ordinators for Carers

The Co-ordinators for Carers work within 64 GP Practices across North Lanarkshire. Over the course of 2014/2015 they have met with many “hidden/still to be identified” carers, of whom 417 participated anonymously in this Carers Health Needs survey.

15 | P a g e

417 Carers participated in this Carers Health Needs survey covering North Lanarkshire Local Authority area.

Gender of Carers

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Female (%) Male (%)

Breakdown by Township

Airdrie Motherwell /Shotts Other NLC Area Female 40 25 25 46 48 52 26 262 % 62% 64% 56% 70% 61% 59% 74% 63% Male 25 14 20 20 31 36 9 155 % 38% 36% 44% 30% 39% 41% 26% 37% TOTAL 65 39 45 66 79 88 35 417

15 | P a g e

414 carers responded to this question

Age of Carers

180

160

140

120

100

80

Amount Participants of 60

40

20

0

Under 18 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-75 76+

Breakdown by Township

Airdrie Bellshill Coatbridge Cumbernauld Motherwell Wishaw Other NLC Area /Shotts Under 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18-25 2 1 3 0 2 1 2 11 26-35 1 5 3 0 9 7 2 27 36-45 11 9 2 7 8 10 3 50 46-55 15 9 10 23 18 28 15 118 56-75 25 13 23 33 32 31 12 169 76+ 8 2 4 3 10 11 1 39 TOTAL 62 39 45 66 79 88 35 414

15 | P a g e

Carer Health Needs Airdrie

Anxiety/Stress 49

Arthritis 19

Back Pain 20

Bullying 3

Coronary Heart Disease 2

Depression/Feeling Sad 25

Eating Disorders 3

Emergency Planning 4

Exercise/Being Active 8

Financial Impact of Caring 23

Hearing Impairment/Visual Impairment 2

Isolation/Feeling Alone 18

Lack of Sleep 19

Learning Disabilities 1

Mental Health Issues 7

Peer Pressure/Friendships 6

Pain Management 6

Physical Disabilities 5

Sexual Health/Relationships 6

Smoking 3

Substance Misuse Issues

Other 2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

15 | P a g e

Carer Health Needs Bellshill

Anxiety/Stress 26

Arthritis 2

Back Pain 9

Bullying 2

Coronary Heart Disease 4

Depression/Feeling Sad 23

Eating Disorders 2

Emergency Planning 5

Exercise/Being Active 4

Financial Impact of Caring 13

Hearing Impairment/Visual Impairment

Isolation/Feeling Alone 12

Lack of Sleep 16

Learning Disabilities 1

Mental Health Issues 5

Peer Pressure/Friendships 3

Pain Management

Physical Disabilities 2

Sexual Health/Relationships 3

Smoking 2

Substance Misuse Issues 1

Other

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

15 | P a g e

Carer Health Needs Coatbridge

Anxiety/Stress 33

Arthritis 10

Back Pain 17

Bullying 1

Coronary Heart Disease

Depression/Feeling Sad 24

Eating Disorders 2

Emergency Planning 4

Exercise/Being Active 6

Financial Impact of Caring 14

Hearing Impairment/Visual Impairment 2

Isolation/Feeling Alone 15

Lack of Sleep 19

Learning Disabilities

Mental Health Issues 3

Peer Pressure/Friendships 1

Pain Management 4

Physical Disabilities 1

Sexual Health/Relationships 1

Smoking 1

Substance Misuse Issues

Other 1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

15 | P a g e

Carer Health Needs Cumbernauld

Anxiety/Stress 46

Arthritis 10

Back Pain 18

Bullying 4

Coronary Heart Disease 5

Depression/Feeling Sad 32

Eating Disorders 7

Emergency Planning 7

Exercise/Being Active 10

Financial Impact of Caring 16

Hearing Impairment/Visual Impairment 5

Isolation/Feeling Alone 17

Lack of Sleep 32

Learning Disabilities 1

Mental Health Issues 3

Peer Pressure/Friendships 2

Pain Management 4

Physical Disabilities 7

Sexual Health/Relationships 1

Smoking 6

Substance Misuse Issues

Other

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

15 | P a g e

Carer Health Needs Motherwell

Anxiety/Stress 54

Arthritis 19

Back Pain 17

Bullying 4

Coronary Heart Disease 5

Depression/Feeling Sad 38

Eating Disorders 4

Emergency Planning 14

Exercise/Being Active 14

Financial Impact of Caring 21

Hearing Impairment/Visual Impairment 10

Isolation/Feeling Alone 22

Lack of Sleep 33

Learning Disabilities 3

Mental Health Issues 15

Peer Pressure/Friendships 7

Pain Management 6

Physical Disabilities 9

Sexual Health/Relationships 6

Smoking 6

Substance Misuse Issues

Other

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 15 | P a g e

Carer Health Needs Wishaw/Shotts

Anxiety/Stress 67

Arthritis 15

Back Pain 24

Bullying

Coronary Heart Disease 3

Depression/Feeling Sad 49

Eating Disorders 4

Emergency Planning 6

Exercise/Being Active 10

Financial Impact of Caring 29

Hearing Impairment/Visual Impairment 1

Isolation/Feeling Alone 25

Lack of Sleep 30

Learning Disabilities 1

Mental Health Issues 13

Peer Pressure/Friendships 3

Pain Management 8

Physical Disabilities 3

Sexual Health/Relationships 12

Smoking 8

Substance Misuse Issues

Other

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

15 | P a g e

Carer Health Needs Other Areas

Anxiety/Stress 19

Arthritis 4

Back Pain 5

Bullying

Coronary Heart Disease 3

Depression/Feeling Sad 20

Eating Disorders 2

Emergency Planning 4

Exercise/Being Active 6

Financial Impact of Caring 7

Hearing Impairment/Visual Impairment 2

Isolation/Feeling Alone 11

Lack of Sleep 12

Learning Disabilities

Mental Health Issues 3

Peer Pressure/Friendships 2

Pain Management 2

Physical Disabilities 1

Sexual Health/Relationships 1

Smoking 1

Substance Misuse Issues 1

Other

0 5 10 15 20 25

15 | P a g e

Carers Health Needs North Lanarkshire

Anxiety/Stress 294

Arthritis 79

Back Pain 110

Bullying 14

Coronary Heart Disease 22

Depression/Feeling Sad 211

Eating Disorders 24

Emergency Planning 44

Exercise/Being Active 58

Financial Impact of Caring 123

Hearing Impairment/Visual Impairment 22

Isolation/Feeling Alone 120

Lack of Sleep 161

Learning Disabilities 7

Mental Health Issues 49

Peer Pressure/Friendships 24

Pain Management 30

Physical Disabilities 28

Sexual Health/Relationships 30

Smoking 27

Substance Misuse Issues 2

Other 3

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

15 | P a g e

Additional information Airdrie Other carer health concerns Additional support that would be of benefit COPD, diverticulitis, finance, respite, emotional support, job skills, other carer employment, lack of support, information, short breaks communication between hospitals and other agencies Bellshill Other carer health concerns Additional support that would be of benefit cancer, cleanliness, finance, other carer support, information via website, incontinence, COPD respite, more groups available, more mental health information Coatbridge Other carer health concerns Additional support that would be of benefit diabetes, blood pressure, befriending, help with forms, transport, understanding the COPD, hip problems illness, more help from doctors, more help from social work, information, short breaks, respite, isolation, more understanding from employers about caring role, Cumbernauld Other carer health concerns Additional support that would be of benefit Asthma, diabetes, blood other carer support, befriending, meals on wheels, pressure, COPD, information, more groups available, more understanding diverticulitis, multiple from employers about caring role, respite, transport, short sclerosis, lack of respite, breaks muscle cramps, someone to talk to, stoma Motherwell Other carer health concerns Additional support that would be of benefit COPD, employment, anti- finance, respite, other carer support, befriending, social neighbours sheltered housing, help with forms, short breaks, emotional support, information Wishaw/Shotts Other carer health concerns Additional support that would be of benefit COPD, employment, having finance, respite, other carer support, information, good someone to talk to night sleep, more help from doctors, short breaks

Other Areas Other carer health concerns Additional support that would be of benefit Nil finance, respite, more groups available, information, other carer support, befriending, good night sleep, more help from doctors, emotional support, job skills, short breaks

15 | P a g e

Key Findings

417 carers from North Lanarkshire participated anonymously in the Carers Health Needs survey during the period 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015. The key findings were: anxiety and stress was the highest ranked health problem in North Lanarkshire – 71% of all carers who took part in the 2014/15 survey. This health problem was ranked first in Airdrie, Bellshill, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Motherwell, and Wishaw & Shotts, and second in ‘Other Areas’. anxiety and stress was also the highest ranked health problem in North Lanarkshire in the 2013/14 survey. Comment: Fairly predictable that this problem continues to be the highest ranked in North Lanarkshire. depression and feeling sad was the second highest ranked problem in North Lanarkshire – 51% of all carers who took part in the 2014/15 survey. This health problem was ranked second in each township with the exception of ‘Other Areas’ where it was ranked first. depression and feeling sad was the fourth highest ranked health problem in North Lanarkshire in the 2013/14 survey. Comment: Again fairly predictable finding that this problem ranks highly. lack of sleep was the third highest ranked problem in North Lanarkshire – 39% of all carers who took part in the 2014/15 survey. This health problem was ranked second in Cumbernauld, third in Bellshill, Coatbridge, Motherwell, Wishaw & Shotts, ‘Other Areas’, and equal 5th in Airdrie. lack of sleep was the second highest ranked health problem in North Lanarkshire in the 2013/14 survey. Comment: This problem has again ranked highly for a second year in a row. financial impact of caring was the fourth highest ranked problem in North Lanarkshire – 30% of all carers who took part in the 2014/15 survey. This health problem was ranked third in Airdrie, fourth in Bellshill and Wishaw & Shotts, fifth in Motherwell and ‘Other Areas’, and sixth in Coatbridge and Cumbernauld. financial impact of caring was the eighth highest ranked health problem in the 2013/14 survey. Comment: Suggest more targeted work needs to be undertaken to understand the nature of this problem and how it manifests as a health problem, and why it appears to be an increasing for carers.

Isolation and feeling alone was fifth highest ranked problem in North Lanarkshire – 29% of all carers who took part in the 2014/15 survey. This health problem was ranked third in Motherwell, fourth in Cumbernauld, Wishaw & Shotts, and ‘Other Areas’, fifth in Bellshill and Coatbridge, and sixth in Airdrie. isolation and feeling alone was the sixth highest ranked health problem in North Lanarkshire in the 2013/14 survey. Comment: similar ranking to last year. back pain was the sixth highest ranked health problem in North Lanarkshire – 26% of all carers who took part in the 2014/15 survey. This health problem was ranked fourth in Airdrie and Coatbridge, fifth in Cumbernauld, sixth in Bellshill and Wishaw & Shotts, and seventh in Motherwell and ‘Other Areas’. back pain was the third highest ranked health problem in North Lanarkshire in the 2013/14 survey. Comment: significant drop in overall ranking from last year. Suggest we need to understand if any ‘back pain’ initiatives impacted on this finding during 2014/15.

For and on behalf of North Lanarkshire Carers Together June 2015

15 | P a g e