Corby team receives Silver Carers accreditation

Carers Champions Christine and Marie, receiving the award from Jacqui Falconer-Blake, with colleagues including managers and members of the Social Prescribing team

Lakeside Healthcare Corby and Brigstock Surgeries has been given a Silver Investors in Carers Award for their work with carers and their families.

The award, from Northamptonshire Carers, shows that the surgery has identified carers and provided support and information for them. Each surgery has information boards which signpost patients to organisations which can help and give advice.

Jacqui Falconer-Blake, GP Liaison and Accreditation Coordinator at Northamptonshire Carers, said: ‘Congratulations to the surgery teams for demonstrating the support you offer to carers, the staff training you give and how you maintain your records. It is really important to encourage carers to come forward and make them aware of the help available from all sorts of sources. Receptionists in particular are good at helping to identify those who are carers, as they tend to know regular patients.’

Patient Services Advisors Marie Monteith and Christine McMullan are both Carers Champions at Corby, given allocated time to identify and make sure the carers’ register is up to date. They also help to organise the surgery’s annual Carers’ Event.

Marie said: ‘We identify carers through advertising in reception, coding them on the system, sending information out and making sure our Carers’ Boards are up to date. I enjoy it because we help people and make them feel appreciated for what they are doing, and they really value the Carers Events that we have.’

Christine, who is herself a carer, said ‘I know how difficult it is to balance work and caring for somebody so can really relate when I am speaking to carers. We have lots of avenues of help, including Northamptonshire Carers, our Social Prescribing Team or local charities and organisations. We spent a lot of time working towards this award which demonstrates our commitment to supporting patients who are carers. Thanks to Northamptonshire Carers for the award. We are now working towards Gold certification.’

Caption: Carers Champions Christine and Marie, receiving the award from Jacqui Falconer-Blake, with colleagues including managers and members of the Social Prescribing team.

Published: May 6, 2025