Recognising Carers
Identifying & Supporting Carers
Carers Project
Healthy North Coast is delivering a Carers Support Project to help primary care clinicians better identify unpaid carers and connect them with the assistance they need. Our goal is to strengthen pathways between primary care, carers, and local services across the North Coast region, ensuring carers are recognised, valued, and supported.
If you are working with a carer in our Healthy North Coast region who is willing to accept all support available to them now, please help them register for support by completing the Carer Gateway Registration Form.
For urgent referrals, please phone Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737
On submission of the above form, the carer will be contacted (always within 5 business days).
Calls will come from Carers NSW on 02 9280 4744. Please encourage the carer to save this number in their phone so they can identify the call when it comes through.
If the carer is seeking mental health support, phone support can be arranged more quickly but face-to-face support may take a few weeks (phone support can be accessed in the interim).
Who is a carer?
A carer is (Carer Recognition Act 2010) someone who gives care and support to a relative or friend who:
- Has a disability
- Has a medical condition (terminal or chronic illness)
- Has a mental illness
- Is frail because they are old (know as frail and aged)
You are not considered to be a carer if you are employed to look after someone, if you work as a volunteer for an organisation, or if you are doing work experience as part of a course
- The unpaid work of carers in Australia is valued at over 77 billion dollars annually
- Population ageing and chronic disease prevalence is leading to an increased demand for carers in the Australian healthcare system.
Carers in North Coast NSW
The north coast of NSW region has the highest rate of unpaid carers across NSW and shares the 4th highest rate across the country.
In January 2026, we surveyed 108 carers in our area and they told us
- 89% are experiencing increased stress, worry or emotional strain
- 26% said they’ve not spoken to their GP about the effect their carer role is having on them but would like to
- 56% say that health professionals who acknowledge their role as a carer and understand the associated challenges would make their caring role easier
- 33% are not aware of available services/support
- 43% find it difficult navigating health or support systems
Life as a carer
Dr Andy Williams, a local GP and carer, shares his experience of supporting a family member and how it has shaped his daily life. His story highlights the challenges carers often navigate and the importance of being connected to the right support.
Identifying carers in primary care
Identifying and supporting carers in Primary Care
Learn how to recognise the signs of hidden carers and how simple conversations can help clinicians identify them early and connect them with local support.
Dr Sarah Mollard, Clinical Lead for HealthPathways and HNC Medical Educator, shares practical insights on identifying and supporting carers in primary care.
Access quick, practical tools designed to help primary care clinicians recognise unpaid carers and guide them to local support. These downloadable PDFs offer clear, evidence informed information that can be easily used during everyday practice.
Case Study – Andy Caring for his ageing father
This case study highlights the often unseen realities of caring for an ageing family member and the emotional, practical and lifestyle impacts carers experience.
It shows that even carers with strong health knowledge and support can face ongoing strain, and their own wellbeing may go unnoticed by health professionals, reinforcing the importance of recognising carers early and ensuring they are connected to the right support.
Case Study – Anne caring for a neurodivergent child
This case study highlights the often unseen role of parent-carers and the emotional and practical demands of supporting a child with complex needs. It shows how carers can appear capable and informed, yet still need recognition and support from health professionals.
Anne’s experience reinforces the importance of taking a whole-family approach and creating safe opportunities for carers to share their challenges.
How to identify carers
Many carers don’t identify with that label, so they miss out on available supports.
Promotional material in your practice can help engage with these carers
- Carers NSW webpage has examples of these promotional materials: Am I a Carer poster
- Displaying carer registration leaflets in the reception area may help identify more hidden carers
Including carer-associated questions in your patient registration form can improve carer identification:
- Do you look after someone who couldn’t manage without your help and support?
Asking carer-related questions when making patient bookings or during patient consults could also help:
- Does someone help you with daily life tasks such as transport, cooking, cleaning? Would you like them to be part of this consult? Future consults?
Asking alternative questions throughout the patient engagement process could lead to carer identification:
- Do you pick up prescriptions for someone else?
- Are you doing the shopping for another person?
- Do you help out a friend, relative or neighbour who couldn’t manage without your support?
- Are you unable to spend time doing things you enjoy because you are supporting someone else?
- Are you juggling work with looking after someone?
- Will you being here/needing medical treatment affect your ability to continue to support someone who relies on your regularly?
Assessing and Managing Carers Needs
HealthPathways
The Mid and North Coast Community Health Pathways include a Carer Stress and Support Pathway and a Community Support for Children, Youth, and Carers Pathway.
These comprehensive tools step clinicians through assessing carers for their specific needs, and approaches to management of these needs of the carer.
Supporting carers
Carer Gateway provides free services and support for carers. Supports include:
- Counselling – phone or face to face
- Tailored support packages and respite
- Carer support planning
- Carer coaching
- Group counselling
- Peer support
For mid to north coast NSW carers, access to Carer Gateway support is via Carers NSW.
GPs or carers can complete and submit this form to apply for support. Carer Registration for Support Form
On submission of this form, a Carers NSW team member will be in contact. Calls will come from Carers NSW on 02 9280 4744.
Please encourage the carer to save this number in their phone so they can identify the call when it comes through.
Additional support resources
Below is a directory of support groups across NSW. Please note that the support group information detailed in this directory is provided to Carers NSW by support groups and is correct to the best of Carers NSW knowledge at the time of publishing. Support group information changes regularly and as such, individuals are encouraged to contact groups directly for up-to-date information, particularly regarding group meeting times and locations. View the directory
If you are a support group and need to update the details of your support group listing, please complete the enquiry form, outlining the updated information.
In addition to the pathways above, there are national and state resources for carers. These help with challenges like work, family, health, disasters, ageing, and the needs of young carers. Explore the links below for more support and information.
Carers + Employers Homepage | Carers + Employers
This resource supports workplaces and employers to create carer‑inclusive environments, helping employees balance their work and caring responsibilities more effectively. It includes tools, training, and practical frameworks that promote flexibility and workforce participation for carers.
Working While Caring Hub – Carers NSW Working while Caring Hub | Carers NSW
Carers balancing employment and caring responsibilities can find guidance, workplace rights information, wellbeing tools, and resources to help them manage both roles. The hub provides practical advice on navigating conversations with employers and accessing support services.
Young Carer Hub – Carers NSW Young Carer Hub | Carers NSW
Young carers can access tailored information, wellbeing resources, education supports, and opportunities to connect with peers who share similar experiences. The hub is designed to empower young carers and ensure they feel recognised and supported.
Aged Care Hub – Carers NSW Aged Care Hub | Carers NSW
This hub provides comprehensive information for carers supporting an older person. It includes guidance on navigating aged‑care services, preparing for assessments, understanding care options, and finding practical supports that make caring at home easier.
Disaster Preparedness Hub – Carers NSW Disaster Preparedness Hub | Carers NSW
This resource supports carers in planning for emergencies and natural disasters. It offers tools to create personalised preparedness plans, checklists, and strategies to help ensure the safety and continuity of care for the person they support during unexpected events.
