Emergency Card Scheme
Have you thought about what would happen if an emergency prevented you from carrying out your usual caring role?
The Emergency Card Scheme offers peace of mind should you have an emergency, such as an accident or an unplanned hospital admission, preventing you from carrying out your caring responsibilities. Your Emergency Card plan would be activated to support the person you care for.
How does it work?
The Emergency Card Scheme is, for any registered carers over 18. It is run jointly between Swindon Borough Council (SBC), Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (BSW ICB) and Swindon Carers Centre (SCC), who administer the scheme.
You develop your own comprehensive emergency plan, detailing the information about you and the person you care for. You can specify what needs to happen if an emergency was to prevent you from carrying on with your caring role. This can include details of emergency contacts.
If the person you care for has complex care needs, or you don’t have anyone who can be an emergency contact, don’t worry. Our scheme administrator can help you to develop an emergency plan to accommodate this.
This emergency plan will be completed with us and then shared and held securely online with Swindon Borough Council.
You will be issued with a red card (see below), similar to a credit card, which has a unique number linking to your emergency plan and the two telephone numbers giving you 24-hour support in an emergency.
In an emergency, anyone finding the card can call the number on the card and quote your unique number. The call handlers would then ensure your emergency plan is put in place.
“I didn’t think my Emergency Card plan would be needed, but accidents can happen to anyone.”
Susan, a carer, was extremely grateful that her Emergency Card plan was activated after she had an accident while walking her dog. It led to alternative care being put in place quickly for her husband.
You can read her story here. Thank you to Susan for sharing her experience of how the Emergency Card Scheme helped her.
How do I join the Emergency Card Scheme?
To have an Emergency Card plan you must be registered with us. Below is the link to register. If you already registered, please contact us and we will arrange for a form to be sent to you.
How do I update my existing Emergency Card plan?
It’s really important that you keep your Emergency Card plan up to date to ensure your wishes for the person you care for are followed. If there are any changes in your circumstances, please contact us so we can update your plan.
You can contact us by emailing info@swindoncarers.org.uk or calling our main telephone number on 01793 531133. Alternatively, you can fill in our online contact form below.