Tunstall Healthcare, the leading provider of telehealth and telecare solutions, has renewed its commitment to supporting working carers by joining Employers for Carers, the national membership forum for employers supported by national charity Carers UK.
The purpose of the forum is to ensure that employers retain and support staff with caring responsibilities. It offers advice and assistance to businesses, identifying and promoting the commercial benefits of supporting working carers. The forum also influences government and employment policy and practice.
According to Employers for Carers, over three million people combine work with caring for someone who is in need of support, with carers making up over 12% of the total UK workforce - which is one in every seven employees.
The pressures of managing work with caring responsibilities can affect the health and wellbeing of carers. Furthermore, many working carers face having to reduce their salaried hours or giving up work altogether, which impacts on businesses and the wider economy.
A report compiled by the Government, Employers for Carers and Carers UK, entitled Supporting Working Carers highlights the social and economic imperative of supporting carers in the workplace, stating that better support can bring considerable benefits to carers, employers and the economy. The report also stated that working carers can benefit from the use of assistive technology.
Gemma Reucroft, UK & Ireland HR Director, Tunstall Healthcare, said: "We applaud the work of Employers for Carers and are delighted to have joined the forum to demonstrate our commitment to this important issue. Tunstall is dedicated to ensuring that all of our employees with caring responsibilities are not only aware of our flexible working opportunities, but are also given the support they need to balance the dual demands of work and caring."
There are currently six and a half million carers in the UK and with a rapidly ageing population this number is predicted to rise to nine million by 2037. Employers for Carers insist this is an issue none of us can afford to ignore.
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About Tunstall
Tunstall Healthcare Group is the market leading provider of telehealthcare solutions, with over 3.6 million users globally. Tunstall's solutions support older people and those with long-term needs, helping them to live independently by effectively managing their health and well-being. Its solutions have been proven effective in the world's largest telehealthcare trial. Tunstall provides technology, services, expertise and advice to millions of people enabling them to lead independent more fulfilling lives.