Dementia care ‘needs more investment, not visits to A&E’
THE Government has been warned it must invest more in dementia care after it emerged the number of patients flooding though emergency departments has soared by nearly 100,000 in four years.
Charities have accused the Department of Health of “skirting round the issue of dementia care” and said the picture is so stark the Government will have to come to the rescue if the NHS is unable to cover the cost of community services for dementia patients.
Dementia emergency admissions have gone from 257,559 in 2013/14 to 344,522 in 2017/18.
Sally Copley, director of policy and campaigns at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “It’s concerning to see such a dramatic increase in the number of emergency admissions. While many do require hospital care, we know tens of thousands of people with dementia are reaching crisis point and have nowhere to turn but A&E.
“It’s time the Government took dementia care seriously. A system that’s starved of funds is more harm than it is help, so we’re calling for a dedicated NHS Dementia Fund which will help people get the high quality care in the community that they need.
“If the NHS can’t afford it, then the Government needs to step in and provide the necessary funds.”
About 850,000 people in the UK are living with dementia, but that number is expected to rise to one million by 2025 and two million by 2051.
Last week Dame Barbara Windsor, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help struggling families through a £2.4billion Dementia Fund.
In the past two years, the families of those with dementia have had to fork out nearly £15billion in care fees with the Government contributing only £9.3billion.
Paul Edwards, director of clinical services at Dementia UK said: “Where dementia is the main reason for admission to hospital, families need access to healthcare professionals who understand the complexities of the condition, as well as an environment where people with dementia can be comfortable, such as through clear signage and simple hospital layouts.
“Sometimes, however, people are admitted to hospital for reasons other than dementia. This is usually the result of an accident, or fall at home, or even delirium from an infection.timely support in the home can prevent this happening.”
Jayne Connery, 52, from Gerrards Cross, Buckinghanshire, was forced to take her mother Helen, 83 – who has vascular dementia – to A&E after she suffered a broken vertebrae in an accident while living in a care home.
Jayne, who is founder of Care Campaign for the Vulnerable, said: “Families trying to help their loved ones don’t know who to turn to.
“They’re having to sell their homes to have enough money to care for their relatives.”
She added: “We need a government that will stand up for those who have contributed all their lives and now need them most.
“Families are battling with the system to try and get what they need and deserve. People don’t seem to have this battle with cancer.
“When my mother went to A&E it was because she was failed. We are told by families who contact us many visits to A&E are because of unwitnessed accidents and incidents in care homes.
“We have had enough talking, it is time for action. We need to stop penalising those who have been diagnosed with dementia”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Our ageing population means more people are living with dementia, and they should only be admitted to hospital when absolutely necessary.
“We are determined to improve community and social care services to ensure everyone gets the best quality care and can live independently at home for longer.”
“We have given local authorities access to nearly £4billion more funding for adult social care this year, and a further £410million is available for adults and children’s services.”
‘We need to stop penalising those who have been diagnosed with dementia’