{"id":55,"date":"2026-03-03T15:27:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T15:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/?page_id=55"},"modified":"2026-03-03T15:33:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T15:33:42","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/","title":{"rendered":"Carers Network"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-fsb-flexible-spacer fsb-flexible-spacer\"><div class=\"fsb-flexible-spacer__device fsb-flexible-spacer__device--lg\" style=\"margin-bottom:-50px\"><\/div><div class=\"fsb-flexible-spacer__device fsb-flexible-spacer__device--md\" style=\"margin-bottom:-50px\"><\/div><div class=\"fsb-flexible-spacer__device fsb-flexible-spacer__device--sm\" style=\"margin-bottom:-50px\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-id55_ac3d96-2f > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:center;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id55_ac3d96-2f > .kt-row-column-wrap) > 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gb-grid-column-816a1f5b\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-816a1f5b\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n<style>.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:center;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:center;}.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);max-width:1150px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding-top:30px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:0px;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6{border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-left-radius:10px;overflow:clip;isolation:isolate;}.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-left-radius:10px;}.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6 > 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767px){.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6 > .kt-row-column-wrap{padding-top:30px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:30px;min-height:0px;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;opacity:0.75;background:#323031;mix-blend-mode:multiply;}.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep{height:px;}.kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{width:%;}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id55_5d2f3b-e6 alignfull kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-layout-overlay kt-row-overlay-normal\"><\/div><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-1-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row 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.wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_e60fcc-44 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column55_e60fcc-44 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column55_e60fcc-44{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column55_e60fcc-44{align-self:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_e60fcc-44{align-self:auto;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_e60fcc-44 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column55_e60fcc-44 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column55_e60fcc-44 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column55_e60fcc-44{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_e60fcc-44{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_e60fcc-44 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column55_e60fcc-44, .kt-inside-inner-col > .kadence-column55_e60fcc-44:not(.specificity){margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column55_e60fcc-44 inner-column-1\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-a3702cf4 gb-headline-text\">Carers Network<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-8c8dedd7 gb-headline-text\">Many&nbsp;NHS Lothian staff&nbsp;have a caring role supporting&nbsp;a family member or friend, and the Staff Carers Network has been created to give them a safe and confidential space to make connections and access support. Anyone who has a caring role for a family member or friend can join the network.<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-grid-column gb-grid-column-7f5acd1d\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-7f5acd1d\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n<style>.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:center;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:center;}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);max-width:1150px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding-top:30px;padding-right:50px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:50px;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db{border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-left-radius:10px;overflow:clip;isolation:isolate;}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db > .kt-row-layout-overlay{border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-right-radius:10px;border-bottom-left-radius:10px;}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.00;background-color:#323031;mix-blend-mode:normal;}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db ,.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db h1,.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db h2,.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db h3,.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db h4,.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db h5,.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db h6{color:#fff;}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep{height:100px;}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{width:100%;}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{fill:#ffffff!important;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db > .kt-row-column-wrap{padding-top:20px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:30px;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep{height:px;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{width:%;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db > .kt-row-column-wrap{padding-top:30px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:30px;min-height:0px;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db > .kt-row-layout-overlay{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;opacity:0.00;background:#400000;mix-blend-mode:multiply;}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep{height:px;}.kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{width:%;}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id55_8483d9-db alignfull kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-layout-overlay kt-row-overlay-normal\"><\/div><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-1-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-middle\">\n<style>.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27{align-self:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27{align-self:auto;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27, .kt-inside-inner-col > .kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27:not(.specificity){margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column55_aa3ef2-27 inner-column-1\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-fsb-flexible-spacer fsb-flexible-spacer\"><div class=\"fsb-flexible-spacer__device fsb-flexible-spacer__device--lg\" style=\"height:260px\"><\/div><div class=\"fsb-flexible-spacer__device fsb-flexible-spacer__device--md\" style=\"height:260px\"><\/div><div class=\"fsb-flexible-spacer__device fsb-flexible-spacer__device--sm\" style=\"height:300px\"><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-light-accent-grey-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 40%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><sup><sub><strong>NHS LOTHIAN | STAFF NETWORKS<\/strong><\/sub><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading colourtextbold\">Carers Network<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support. You don&#8217;t have to live with your cared for person to be a carer.<br>Many NHS Lothian staff have a caring role supporting a family member or friend, and the Staff Carers Network has been created to give them a safe and confidential space to make connections and access support. Any member of staff who has an unpaid caring role can join the network.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"266\" height=\"197\" src=\"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/carerslogo2.png\" alt=\"Carers Network logo\" class=\"wp-image-370\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The network has been&nbsp;created to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Provide staff with informal caring roles a confidential and supportive space for information sharing and support<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduce the isolation frequently reported by working carers through the facilitation of peer support<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Raise carer awareness among management and colleagues<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support NHS Lothian to maintain best practice in identifying and supporting carers within the workforce<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Offer a variety of supportive caring related learning opportunities for staff with informal caring roles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Signpost and refer carers on for additional support both internally provided and externally<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Develop and maintain relationships with other staff and student networks in areas of mutual interest<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/wheelchair.jpg\" alt=\"Young man in wheelchair with young woman pushing, in a park setting\" class=\"wp-image-359 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/wheelchair.jpg 600w, https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/10\/wheelchair-188x300.jpg 188w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Upcoming Meetings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quarterly Coffee and Cake catch-ups<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ve decided to change the format of the network meetings. Instead of drop-in sessions, we&#8217;ll now be doing Coffee and Cake Catch-ups (BYOCC (bring your own coffee and cake))! This is an opportunity to take a break and speak to other carers about your caring role, how you&#8217;re feeling, or even just talk about anything but caring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first Coffee and Cake Catch-up will be Monday 25 May at 12.30pm. Please email the network inbox\u00a0for the meeting invitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Further Coffee and Cake Catch-ups:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Monday 31 August<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Monday 23 November<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quarterly speaker meeting dates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>2026 speaker&nbsp;meeting dates will be shared as soon as possible<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull fullstretch has-light-accent-plum-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:0;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-e09cb750 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Join Our Mailing List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">If you have a caring role, join our confidential mailing list to receive invitations to the network meetings and notes if you cannot attend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons downlink is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-03627597 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"mailto:loth.carers@nhs.scot\">Email Carers Network<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-fsb-flexible-spacer fsb-flexible-spacer\"><div class=\"fsb-flexible-spacer__device fsb-flexible-spacer__device--lg\" style=\"margin-bottom:-190px\"><\/div><div class=\"fsb-flexible-spacer__device fsb-flexible-spacer__device--md\" style=\"margin-bottom:-190px\"><\/div><div class=\"fsb-flexible-spacer__device fsb-flexible-spacer__device--sm\" style=\"margin-bottom:-190px\"><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NHS LOTHIAN | STAFF NETWORKS Carers Network A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/noorangewidewidth.php","meta":{"_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"class_list":["post-55","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"stephenharris","author_link":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/author\/stephenharris\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":false,"rttpg_excerpt":"NHS LOTHIAN | STAFF NETWORKS Carers Network A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/55\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":497,"href":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/55\/revisions\/497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staff.nhslothian.scot\/carers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}