Carers Emergency Card

The Derbyshire Carers Emergency Card Scheme is a way of letting emergency services know you are a carer and that someone relies on you for support.

Anyone who provides essential support can obtain a carers emergency card, regardless of the amount of support they provide. 

As part of the card application you will be asked to make contingency plans for the person you care for. 

This information will be kept on the Derbyshire County Council (DCC) database so professionals can access it and quickly help to arrange alternative support if required.

The application form asks you to give details about:

• the person you care for, including any disabilities or health conditions, or any medication they take
• the support you give to the person, such as personal care, transport or emotional support
• support the person you care for gets from anywhere else, such as a care agency, social worker or another family member or neighbour
• nominated contacts who may be able to provide care in your absence - make sure you have informed the nominated contacts and got their consent to be involved in the emergency plan
• what you'd like to happen if you cannot carry out your caring role.

For help making your plan, read our emergency planning blog post that gives lots of hints and tips about what to include.

Once you've applied, you'll be sent a card which has a reference number on it which is linked to your details on the DCC system. The card also has Call Derbyshire's 24-hour telephone number printed on it. You should carry the card with you at all times.

Applying for a card

You can:

• apply for an emergency card online on the Derbyshire County Council website, or
• print off the application form, fill it in by hand and return it to the freepost address on the bottom of the form. 

What will happen in an emergency or crisis?

In the event of a crisis or emergency, contact will need to be made with Call Derbyshire on tel: 01629 533190. Staff will firstly try to contact the family members or friends who you've nominated as emergency contacts on your carer emergency plan.  

If your emergency contacts are not able to provide direct help, Call Derbyshire staff will carry out a telephone assessment to decide what is required to assist the situation, how quickly a response is required and if there is an immediate or imminent risk. If you or the adult you provide care for are currently supported by social care, the worker or local team will carry out further assessment.

Access to replacement care services is subject to an assessment, taking into account the National Eligibility Criteria and the Council's policies for contributing to the cost of care services.

Depending on the situation services may include:

• information, advice and guidance
• putting you in touch with other organisations who can assist you
• support in the home from paid carers 
• adjustment of any support service you/the person you care for currently receive  
• short term care in a residential or nursing home.

An emergency plan/card will not provide free replacement care for up to 72 hours, guarantee access to services or provide rapid access to social care services. These are popular misconceptions about the scheme. There is no separate helpline or team for carer emergencies - all calls will be dealt with by Call Derbyshire staff using the usual telephone number: 01629 533190.

Changes to emergency plans and lost cards

If you've already got/had a Carers Emergency Card but need to get in touch because:

• you've lost your card
• you need to change your personal details such as your address
• you need to change your emergency plan, including emergency contacts

please email carers.adultcare@derbyshire.gov.uk or tel: 01629 532273 (preferrably email please - this telephone number is for card admin only, please DO NOT ring it in an emergency)

If you've got the client pin/ID number written on the card then please quote it in your email/phone call.

In the past Derbyshire County Council used to contact carers who had a card on a yearly basis and ask if their emergency plans and contact details were still correct. This won't happen anymore so if your circumstances change please make sure you let Derbyshire County Council know. If the changes to your plan are significant, you can submit another form if it's easier - but just explain in the notes that it is to replace a previous emergency plan.