Dementia services review underway in Carmarthenshire
A report to improve and develop support services for people living with and caring for people with dementia in Carmarthenshire has been presented to the area’s Health and Social Care Board.
The report was developed by Carmarthenshire’s Joint Health and Social Care Scrutiny Forum with the help of hundreds of people affected by dementia and was presented to the board as part of Dementia Awareness Week, 20 – 26 May 2012.
The report was commissioned by the Health & Social Care Board in 2011 to gather evidence about services from a range of sources.
The review took place over the past nine months and the recommendations were presented to the board during its meeting on May 24. They included:
• the improvement of early diagnosis and timely interventions
• putting services in place to ensure people are properly supported at home, in hospital and in care homes
• the improvement of end-of-life care; the development of quality support mechanisms and the improvement of information and advice for families and carers
• the development of services to ensure people living with dementia continue to be involved in their communities
Chair, Cllr Jane Tremlett, said: “The Joint Forum has gathered evidence from a range of sources – we have spoken to health and social care practitioners from the council and Hywel Dda Health Board; we have listened to statutory, voluntary and independent sector providers within Carmarthenshire; we have considered research conducted by scrutiny support officers into good practice in the UK and Europe; and we have visited establishments that provide residential and nursing care for people living with dementia.
“Most importantly, we have listened to people who have first-hand experience of caring for someone with dementia.”
She added: “Throughout the review, we have been mindful of the Welsh Government’s ‘National Dementia Vision for Wales’, which was published in February 2011, and have been keen to ensure all review outcomes complement this vision.”
The report will now be taken to the council’s executive board before being made available to all those who contributed.
