Is the quality of dementia care in the UK sufficient enough to support people with dementia?
Every single week it seems we get a new story about dementia care provision.
It might be the challenge we face with a growing elderly population, or the reality for many people today in finding decent health care for a loved one.
Last week the Government published an atlas which set out for the first time the quality of dementia care in England. The report makes worrying reading for many patients and carers.
Dementia care performance
This atlas shows the quality of services for patients suffering from dementia and highlights where local authorities fail to meet NHS guidelines.
One of the key guidelines is that every patient should have a face-to-face meeting – at least once a year – to have their care plan reviewed. The map shows that in many areas this is not being delivered.
There are large contrasts in the performance of care across the country notably with these face-to-face meetings. For example, in North East Lincolnshire over 85% of patients are seen once a year, while in Somerset, fewer than half of patients get that vital meeting.
Support and advice
More and more we’ll need to use such information to help us make tough or even heart-breaking decisions in life. But data like this also helps us to hold local authorities to account for the way they look after elderly people.
If you’re looking for help for your relative or friend, Which? Elderly Care gives you guidance about housing options, day-to-day living arrangements and how to pay for care. In particular, the site has information about Dementia and other memory problems. If you are looking for local support for people living with dementia, you can find this in the Care services directory.
Over to you
Have you had experience with the care system, in particular with dementia care? Do you think the provision of care is sufficient enough?
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