Care Homes: Dementia

(asked on 25th June 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide additional support for dementia patients in care homes.


Answered by
Helen Whately Portrait
Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 7th July 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic we have issued a range of guidance for care homes. In particular, the Social Care Institute for Excellence has published advice on COVID-19 and dementia in care homes in collaboration with NHS England and NHS Improvement, which was last updated in May 2021. It discusses four clinical situations to illustrate some common challenges to supporting someone with dementia and provides clear advice on how to approach these to ensure the person with dementia is adequately supported. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.scie.org.uk/care-providers/coronavirus-covid-19/dementia/care-homes#introduction

In addition, we know that equipping the health and social care workforce with the skills they need is crucial for providing high quality care for those living with dementia, including those living in care homes. The requisite training needs are set out in the Dementia Training Standards Framework. Since 1 April 2015, newly appointed health care assistants and social care support workers, including those providing care to people with dementia, have been undergoing training as part of the national implementation of the Care Certificate. Since 2012, over one million care workers have completed the Care Certificate, or common induction standards.

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