EMHS earns highest carer-friendly tag in a WA first

In a prestigious milestone, East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) has been accredited as a leading carer-friendly workplace in the State.  

The national Carers + Employers program is overseen by Carers NSW and delivered here by Carers WA to define best practice standards for supporting staff with caring responsibilities. 

Carers WA Chief Executive Officer Richard Newman said EMHS had achieved the highest standard in the program - Level 3-EXCEL - the first hospital network in WA to do so.

He said EMHS had shown its “commitment to recognise and support carers in their workplace through policies and practices and by embedding a culture that acknowledges and values their contribution”.

“There are an estimated three million Australians who are carers, including 320,000 living in WA. One in nine Australians are carers. Caring is likely to impact every employer at some stage,” Richard said.

EMHS Acting Chief Executive Philip Aylward said staff were either caring now, will care for someone in the future or will need care themselves. 

“Supporting carers in the workplace works for everyone,” Philip added. 

This may be any employee who provides informal support or care to a family member or friend who is living with a disability, mental health challenges, drug and/or alcohol dependency, chronic condition or is frail and aged.