In the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS), this data element should only be reported in relation to service users that have an informal carer (Person—informal carer existence indicator, code N, with a value of 1).

In the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS), this data element refers to the service user’s main informal carer—the person who provides the most significant care and assistance related to the service user’s capacity to remain living in their current environment. It is recognised that two or more people may equally share the caring role (for example, mother and father) however, for the purposes of this collection, characteristics are only requested for one of these carers.

If a person has more than one carer (for example, a spouse and a son), the coding response to carer relationship should relate to the carer who provides the most significant care and assistance related to the person’s capacity to remain living in their current environment (i.e. the main carer). The expressed views of the service user and/or their carer or significant other should be considered to be the primary or principal carer in this regard.

Code 9 (other female relative), allows for the wide range of family members who may be involved in a caring role with the service user. This code therefore includes the female family members not listed in the codes elsewhere (for example, aunts, nieces, female cousins, grandmothers, step mother, step daughters and so on).

Similarly, code 10 (other male relative) covers the range of male family members who may act as carers. This code includes the male family members not listed in the codes elsewhere (for example, uncles, nephews, male cousins, grandfathers, male grandchildren, step father, step sons and so on).

In the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS), this data element should only be reported in relation to service users that have an informal carer (Person—informal carer existence indicator, code N, with a value of 1).

In the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS), this data element refers to the service user’s main informal carer—the person who provides the most significant care and assistance related to the service user’s capacity to remain living in their current environment. It is recognised that two or more people may equally share the caring role (for example, mother and father) however, for the purposes of this collection, characteristics are only requested for one of these carers.

If a person has more than one carer (for example, a spouse and a son), the coding response to carer relationship should relate to the carer who provides the most significant care and assistance related to the person’s capacity to remain living in their current environment (i.e. the main carer). The expressed views of the service user and/or their carer or significant other should be considered to be the primary or principal carer in this regard.

Code 9 (other female relative), allows for the wide range of family members who may be involved in a caring role with the service user. This code therefore includes the female family members not listed in the codes elsewhere (for example, aunts, nieces, female cousins, grandmothers, step mother, step daughters and so on).

Similarly, code 10 (other male relative) covers the range of male family members who may act as carers. This code includes the male family members not listed in the codes elsewhere (for example, uncles, nephews, male cousins, grandfathers, male grandchildren, step father, step sons and so on).