Sir,

I was an unpaid carer looking after members of my family. I am now the Pembrokeshire Ambassador for Carers Wales.

According to the last census there are 15,195 unpaid family carers in Pembrokeshire who save the Local Authority and Health Board £324 million across the county each year if they had to replace the unpaid care we provide with paid care services.

I feel compelled to write to you to highlight that from a recent Carers Wales survey, 75 per cent of carers are concerned about the impact that caring will have over their health in the next year. In the current austere climate, it will be a false economy to cut services for carers or for those that they look after. Carers desperately need time out to look after themselves whether this is provided as a service directly to them or for the person they care for. The survey alarmingly highlighted that 87 per cent of carers felt more stressed and 56 per cent said they had suffered from depression because of their caring responsibilities.

If money is now put towards essential services, then there is a real possibility that health and local authorities will end up with the responsibility for two people instead of one.

Policy makers, service commissioners and politicians need to think of the wider picture when commissioning services in the community.

If you are a carer you can join Carers Wales. Membership is free and we are here to help you.

Join us on line at www.carersuk.org or telephone 029 2081 1370.

Malcolm Phillips,

Pembrokeshire Ambassador for Carers Wales,

Addison Road,

Haverfordwest.