LGA responds to Healthwatch England report on dementia care

1 Jul 2019 01:24 PM

Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, said: "Councils are committed to the underlying ambition of the Care Act to improve the lives and wellbeing of people with dementia and their families, to ensure their care is personalised and fits around the way they want to live their lives.

“This includes through all the services which councils provide such as social care, housing, transport, leisure services, public health and community safety.

“Everyone’s needs are unique. Therefore timely reviews of people’s needs and updated care plans are a key part of ensuring that what they want for their lives is achieved.

“But this is becoming increasingly difficult to do given the scale of the pressures facing the social care system and the strain on the workforce.

“Adult social care faces a £3.6 billion funding gap by 2025. Therefore the upcoming Spending Review and much-delayed government green paper needs to provide the long-term sustainable funding solution which adult social care, including those with dementia, urgently needs.”

Notes

• Councils in England face an overall funding gap of £8 billion by 2025. The LGA’s #CouncilsCan campaign aims to influence the forthcoming Spending Review and highlight the growing risk to vital local services if the Government does not take action to secure the financial sustainability of councils.
• The LGA is an active member of the Dementia Action Alliance. ​

Why it's important to review the care of people with dementia