News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 28 September 2010
Local
organisations will be held to account and expected to publish how
they are providing quality care for people with dementia, Care
Service Minister Paul Burstow announced today.
The plans, which are part of the revised Dementia Strategy
Implementation Plan, aim to ensure people with dementia get the
best care.
The new implementation plan sets out the Coalition Government’s
focus on outcomes, and identifies four priorities:
- Good-quality early diagnosis and intervention for all;
-
Improved quality of care in general hospitals;
- Living well
with dementia in care homes; and
- Reduced the use of
antipsychotic medication.
Paul Burstow said: "Dementia is one
of the most important issues that we face as our population ages.
"We spend £8.2 billion a year caring for those affected.
In this tough economic climate, we must be realistic.
"It's not about extra resources but how we can
think smarter using the resources we already have."
"The Implementation Plan reflects the Coalition
Government’s priorities. It’s about getting resource to the people
that need them rather than tied up in backroom bureaucracy. Local
organisations will be expected to publish how they are delivering
on quality outcomes so that they can be held to account by local
people."
Alzheimer’s Society Interim Chief Executive Ruth
Sutherland said: "This plan is an exciting
opportunity to transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of
people. It fully recognises the dementia crisis facing us today
and signals that dementia must be made a priority. We now need to
put these plans into action.
"Investing sensibly in dementia now will improve
people’s lives and could potentially save hundreds of millions of
pounds. As a million people develop dementia in the next ten years
everyone has a role to play."
Notes to Editors
For further information contact the Department of Health press
office on: 020 7210 5221.
A copy of the revised Strategy Implementation Plan can be found at:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Features/DH_119830
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk