The Welsh Assembly Government is falling short on dementia services said Shadow Minister for Health and Social Services, Andrew RT Davies AM.
Speaking ahead of the Welsh Conservatives Opposition debate on dementia services in the Assembly tomorrow, Mr Davies commented:
“It is unacceptable that the Dementia Plan for Wales is yet to be published.
“Local Health Boards cannot adequately plan to finance the recommendations of the Plan until it is published. Until that happens it is inevitable service provision will be negatively affected, as we have already seen in Cardiff where the future of the Alzheimer’s Society Group is in grave danger.
“There are also significant gaps in training of both GPs and staff in care homes with regards to dementia and WAG must invest in staff training and knowledge of the condition.
“There is a vast shortfall in the provision of dementia services in Wales, with just 14 care home places per 1,000 of the population aged 75 and over dedicated for dementia care, compared to 30 per 1,000 in the North-East of England, a socio-economically similar region.
“I would strongly urge the Minister to take measures to meet the growing demand for dementia care across Wales.”
