YORK Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has worked with charity York Carers Centre to take action to improve carer's lives in their workforce.

The trust has achieved accreditation as a 'Carer Friendly Employer', marking a commitment to staff who balance paid job roles with caring for someone outside of work because of ill health, disability or addiction.

Polly McMeekin, director of workforce and organisational development at the York trust, said: "Supporting staff to balance their work and home life is hugely important to the Trust, and treating people as individuals and supporting them to do their job to the best of their ability, whatever their circumstances."

The Trust, with a 9,000 strong workforce across eight hospitals and the community, has put in place a "strong," structure to support employees who are also unpaid carers through new ways of working, improved training and flexible policies, as well as the planned introduction of 'Carer Passports'.

York Carers Centre provides free help and advice to any unpaid carer in the city, of any age.

Support is also given to employers of any size who wish to develop a carer friendly workplace or become accredited as a 'Carer Friendly Employer', through training and help with developing supportive practices and policies.