About Staff Carers

If you answer ‘yes’ to each of the following questions, you are a Sydney Local Health District (District) Staff Carer:

• are you in paid employment at Sydney Local Health District (including full time, part time, or casual), and
• provide ongoing support to a family member or friend, and
• the person you support has a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, drug or alcohol dependency, terminal condition or is frail-aged.

Working Carers constitute approximately 12% of the Australian workforce*.

This suggests that one in every eight District staff members are likely to be caring for someone at home or elsewhere, outside their working hours.

Sydney Local Health District is an accredited Carer Friendly Organisation

Sydney Local Health District is committed to supporting our District Staff Carers. In April 2020, the District received Carer Friendly Organisation’ accreditation from Carers NSW — becoming the first local health district in NSW to receive the accreditation.

In August 2021 Sydney Local Health District (the District) became the first employer to gain Level 2 accreditation with the Carers + Employers Program. This is a significant achievement as Level 2 criteria requires organisations to demonstrate progressive and embedded practices to support carers in the workplace.

The accreditation is an acknowledgement of the District’s activities and events to ensure staff carers are aware of the policies and initiatives in place to support them.

*Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2017. Australia’s welfare 2017. Australia’s welfare series no. 13. AUS 214.Canberra: AIHW