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Support for carers

Plan for a crisis and pathways to immediate help

Carer's Emergency Response Service (CERS)

The Carer's Emergency Response Service (CERS) is a service that offers you peace of mind if you experience an emergency. This could be an accident or unplanned hospital admission that prevents you from carrying out your caring responsibilities. 

How it works

  • you’re registered on a central list with your details and those of the person you care for
  • you are given a PIN and a card with Medequip Connect’s contact number, or you can choose a GPS watch
  • in an emergency, someone contacts Medequip Connect, or you press your GPS watch, they’ll arrange support—this could be emergency home care or a short stay in a care home

Pricing

Service providedCharge
Basic CERS card and PIN£21.66 per year

Full monitored alarm service at home  

GPS Watch 

£7.22 per week
Add GPS Watch to existing monitored alarm service £7.22 per week (an increase of 80p per week if you’re on Level 1)

For a chat and to find out more about the service, please contact Medequip Connect via phone or email. 

Medequip Connect
01934 412 063
connect.northsomerset@medequip-uk.com

Support from Adult Social Care

If you need immediate support for you or the person you care for, please contact Care Connect on 01275 888 801 (during working hours, Monday to Friday).  

If you need immediate support outside of normal working hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Team (EDS) on 01454 615165. 

If you have a safeguarding concern or need to report abuse or neglect, please go to

Support from personal networks

If you can, utilise family, friends or others to help you plan for an emergency or if you need immediate support.

Urgent medical support

  • contact your GP/or your loved one's GP to get an urgent GP appointment
  • for urgent medical advice - call NHS 111 if you think you need medical help right now but you’re not sure what to do
  • call 999 in a life-threatening emergency

Emotional support or you need to talk to someone

The services listed on this page provide confidential emotional support over the telephone.

24/7 Support and Connect 

  • NHS free helpline service
  • 0800 9531919 

Bristol Mindline

  • free helpline open 7 nights a week
  • 7PM to 11PM  
  • 0808 808 0330 

Mindline Somerset

ChitChat

  • 7 days a week
  • 9AM to 9PM 
  • 0333 002 0333

Samaritans

  • open 24 hours a day 7 days a week
  • 116 123 

SANEline

For anyone over 16 years who needs to talk about mental health issues or crisis. 

SANEline is a national out-of-hours mental health helpline offering

  • specialist emotional support
  • guidance
  • information to anyone affected by mental illness, including family, friends, and carers

We are normally open every day of the year from 4pm to 10pm on 0300 304 7000.

SANE website - SANEline services