Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure NHS hospital staff receive adequate (a) training and (b) support to manage dementia patients in general hospital wards.

Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver the appropriate treatment for patients. Individual trusts are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to carry out their role, and for investing in the future of their staff through providing continuing professional development funding.

The required training needs are set out in the Dementia Training Standards Framework, commissioned and funded by the Department and developed in collaboration with the sector, which is available at the following link:

https://www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/info-hub/dementia-2015-updated-2018/

The framework sets out the essential knowledge, skills, and expected learning outcomes applicable across the health and care spectrum. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also issued guidance on Assessment, Management and Support for People Living With Dementia, which covers staff training and education, and which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng97/chapter/Recommendations#staff-training-and-education