The Carers Charter is a new guide that explains how Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) will better support and work with carers of people using our services.
It explains how we aim to support carers and work together in a way that's helpful for everyone involved.
It makes clear promises to carers - to listen, to involve, to support, and to recognise the important role carers have.
The carers charter is a set of commitments that explain how staff will work with carers.
It focuses on:
Carers give huge amounts of unpaid care every day but often don't know their rights or feel supported. The charter helps make sure carers are treated fairly and know what help is available.
We listened to our carers, and they told us something important was missing, a key piece of information that could really help not just carers, but also our service users and staff.
To get things started, we set up a small task and finish group.
We intentionally kept the group small to support focused, meaningful conversations. A few key clinicians from community teams and wards were invited to join, bringing valuable insights that helped shape our thinking.
The group included:
For this first phase, we worked closely with the group for four months to co-produce the early draft of what will become the carers charter. This approach helped us build a strong foundation, shaped by lived experience and genuine collaboration.
Once the carers charter was agreed by the task and finish group, it moved through the Trust's internal verification process. It was reviewed by our quality group, discussed with our Caldicott Guardians, and then submitted for executive sign-off. This final approval gave us the go-ahead to share the charter more widely and begin gathering feedback from the public.
Now, we're excited to open it up more broadly, so even more carers, staff, and supporters can contribute to shaping a charter that's already rooted in real voices and meaningful co-production.
Please take a few moments to read the draft charter posters and the trifold leaflet.
The idea is for the full poster to be displayed in the Trust's community and ward offices. The highlighted poster will be displayed in the reception rooms with copies of the trifold leaflet which has been designed to be made available to service users and carers.
Share your feedback
Your views will help shape the final version of the Carers Charter. Please click here to access the feedback form and share your thoughts and ideas on our draft charter.
The deadline to submit your feedback is midday on Monday, 30 June 2025.
Thank you for your support and contribution.
