This study shows that we can combine local authority data with routinely-collected electronic health record (EHR) and administrative health care data sources to get a better understanding of unpaid carers in specific geographical areas. This also helps us see how information from different sectors, like healthcare and local government, can overlap and work together for a clearer picture.
The demographic distribution mostly matches what's already known: unpaid carers tend to be older and female compared to the general population. However, the study found fewer unpaid carers living in highly deprived areas than what the 2021 Census suggested.
LA-identified unpaid carers were older than GP-identified, suggesting that LA and GP data sources record demographically distinct populations.
Unpaid carers had poorer health and more health service use than the comparison groups of non-carers.
Although rates of multimorbidity and health service use were higher in LA-identified unpaid carers than GP-identified, these differences were largely due to age differences.
Differences in the unpaid carer cohorts identified through carers’ assessment and primary care data sources may result from distinct population needs and levels of support required. This may indicate that services are reaching those who need them, or may indicate a gap in support for younger unpaid carers. It is not possible to conclude on the distribution of resources in the context of population need without additional data.
Differences may also reflect systemic differences in data collection, coverage and quality between carers’ assessment and primary care data sources. Both data are recorded for administrative purposes, not with the purpose of identifying unpaid carers. In primary care, coding of unpaid carers may vary based on the consultation context and between GPs and practices, whilst local authorities may be required to prioritise urgent cases for assessment, possibly making their data lean towards older and more vulnerable unpaid carers.
It is difficult through routinely collected data to identify unpaid carers in order to inform plans to support unpaid carers. This suggests a need to have a more integrated system for supporting unpaid carers to ensure they receive the support they need.