A CHARITY which supports unpaid carers is urging York employers to have compassion for staff who may be looking after others.

York Carers Centre is encouraging more businesses to support staff who are long term carers for friends or family.

It is estimated that there are about 18,000 unpaid carers in York, and some 7.6 million nationally, many of whom find themselves unable to hold down employment due to the pressure of caring for others.

Emma Keef, of York Carers Centre, said: "Many carers report that they feel lonely and isolated in the workplace, they feel that their managers and colleagues do not understand the challenges and difficulties they face in balancing the needs of the person they care for and the requirements of their job. "Each year approximately 315,000 working age carers leave the work place.

"Yet employers who support their employees to combine work and care have reported many benefits to their business including an increase in staff morale and loyalty to the business, better staff retention, sick leave decreasing and improved service delivery."

The charity is recognising organisations which look to adopt procedures to help working carers to successfully balance their work and caring roles - recently giving Carer Friendly status to York Medical Group, which runs GP surgeries throughout the city.

A spokesperson for York Medical Group said: "We recognise the valuable work that carers undertake and the importance of carer health and wellbeing to ensure they are equipped to deal with the many challenges they have to deal with.

"Work pressures within NHS and general practice combined with being a carer can be overwhelming at times. We recognise the importance of maintaining a work-life balance, ensuring we adopt flexible working and leave policies and recognise the additional support that may be required from time to time."

York College and York Neighbours have already been through the process and been awarded Carer Friendly status.