An innovative partnership between the Mid-Hampshire PCT and Princess Royal Trust for Carers was launched this week.

It is aimed at recognising and supporting informal carers in their role in participating in the medical care of those they care for.

Although carers identify the GP as the most important resource the person they care for has, many feel unrecognised in their role and vulnerable to their own health needs.

The statistics are formidable - 94% manage medication, 23% change dressings and 13% give injections.

The carers are particularly vulnerable to mental illness and musculo-skeletal problems and feel inhibited about recognising themselves as carers, let alone requesting support and involvement in medical decisions about the management of those they care for. Yet it is estimated they save the country £57bn per annum in care costs.

Under the new partnership, primary health care teams will be encouraged to identify carers. They will then be referred to the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, which will asses the needs and services they require and feed the information back to the healthcare team.

The project will be evaluated by a research team led by Dr Chantal Simon, of Southampton University and Dr Anna Wilson, the PCT clinical lead for carers.

The researchers are being supported by a grant from the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Commenting on the new scheme, Winchester and Andover carers Centre manager, Mary Rosenthal, said: "I'm delighted we can now go ahead with this initiative and I am grateful to Mid-Hampshire PCT for their excellent support of this and all carers' issues.

"I am particularly pleased that this idea will address perhaps the biggest problem that carers have; in that they are often not referred for help and support until they are in a crisis.

"Now we will be able to make contact with carers as soon as they are identified by their GP and we hope that we can help to avert at least some of the crises."

Chris Evennett, chief executive of the Mid-Hampshire Primary Care Trust, added: "The importance of carers and their wonderful contribution have often been overlooked in the past and the PCT is delighted to be involved in this project."