Hello everyone - We hope you’re keeping well with so much flu and viruses going around. We have some info about getting a free flu jab here: Flu jabs | Carers UK
And also guidance on getting support from your GP here: Talking to your GP | Carers UK . Please share your thoughts on whether you’ve found it helpful to register as a carer with your GP?
Hi Paola, since registering as a carer with the GP they now text me part way through Carers Week to tell me what events are available … of course by this time some have past and Carers can’t do short notice. They also offer me the flu jab … but that might be due to my age …
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I think it depends. My local post office know I am a carer for my mother and grandmother when she is over here. Any wanted parcels and so on are sent to my house. My local bank and work have been told. Other than that no. My doctors have been advised of the situation.
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The GP I’d had for over 20 years retired just before covid hit - he’d been supportive and was popular with most carers I knew who also used him. The people who have taken the practice over don’t seem to understand the word “carer.” Even getting the flu jab has been a challenge: autumn will be easier, as I’ll have turned 65 by then. They know what “old” means.
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Hi Melly, thanks for sharing, that’s really interesting to know
Well, I registered with my GP as a Carer - although they already knew I was in the role.
Since then - NOTHING. I am usually full of praise for the Practice, but their own leaflet states I will be offered Health Checks and invited for a discussion about any other needs I might have… Still waiting after nine months… Ah well. Stop moaning and just get on with it - Carers, we are just a load of moaning minnies… 
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A classic one this morning !!
Visit to GP and I saw a poster advertising ‘Carer’s Breaks’…
“Please help - we are recruiting volunteers to help give Carers a break from their role. Would you be willing to visit an elderly resident for a few hours once a month so their Carer can go out for a break?”
Is it me, or is that rather demeaning to those of us who do not identify (to use the modern expression) as ELDERLY? Graham would be livid if he thought that he is ELDERLY at 67. Also - “Carers Break” - a few hours once a month. Hmmm - someone is missing the point there methinks.
The thing which really got my goat was it had been prepared by a Carer’s Trust and wasn’t just something knocked-up by a Receptionist. Had I not been feeling so tired and Graham not been in the middle of a major wobbly morning, I might have pointed out the stupidity of the poster. How condescending…
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I tried to register as a carer with my GP practise but the practise manger phoned me to say as my mother ( who I care for ) was not registered with the practise they had no record of her therefore no proof. This was in 2021 when i was trying to register so I could have my Flu and Covid jab. I did have a letter late last year to say records showed I was eligible for Flu and Covid but think that is because they reduced the age for Flu Jab I am 57.
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It is always a good idea to tell the doctors about your caring situation. In my case the doctors at the local hospital are a decent source of information on all things caring. But it took a while.
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Thank you all for sharing your experiences of getting a free flu jab/ registering with your GP