TODD FITZGERALD

AGREATER Manchester MP has finally won her battle to scrap ‘distressing’ rules that mean dementia sufferers who die in care are classed as being in ‘state detention’ – meaning they must have an inquest when they die.

Stockport MP Ann Coffey has slammed the rules as an ‘expensive, bureaucratic nightmare’, saying they have led to scores of families having to wait weeks to bury their loved ones, even if they passed away from natural causes.

Their heartache is the ●●MP Ann Coffey result of a court ruling made in 2014, as well as controversial coroners’ guidelines.

The ruling meant thousands more patients have been given ‘deprivation of liberty safeguard assessments’ to ensure they are not being inappropriately restrained or abused.

Thanks to the Supreme Court’s decision – which said such orders should apply to anyone ‘not free to leave’, even if it is for the purposes of ‘benign care’ – care homes have been inundating councils with requests for assessments on dementia patients.

Anyone subject to one has been deemed, by the Chief Coroner, to be in ‘state detention’, so they must have an inquest.

An ambulance also has to be called, police have to attend and relatives must visit a mortuary to identify the body.

Stockport MP Ann Coffey, who uncovered the scale of the problem after being inundated with complaints from shocked relatives, has now been successful in her campaign to change the rules.

Ms Coffey lobbied ministers, the Chief Coroner, introduced a Private Members Bill in Parliament and tabled an amendment to the Policing and Crime Bill.

The government has now supported her.

Ms Coffey said: “I am absolutely delighted with this change of heart on state detention and inquests. Something had to be done to stop this profound distress to relatives.

“When loved ones die in care, relatives should not have their grief exacerbated by this sledgehammer approach.

“However the system of deprivation of liberty assessments remains an expensive bureaucratic nightmare that is diverting resources from frontline care at a time when there are huge demands on the social care budget.”

Ms Coffey said Stockport council alone expected to spend around £1.2m on deprivation of liberty assessments – and has been forced to hire six new social workers, a coordinator, an outside agency and a part time solicitor.

GPs also said they have become overwhelmed.