Commitment to dementia care provision

Cheshire East Council has reaffirmed its commitment to putting' residents first' and taking strong action to ensure appropriate dementia care provision – both now and in the future.

The Council's health and adult social care overview and scrutiny committee today backed Cabinet policy decisions (from July 1st 2014) to implement its Dementia Commissioning Plan and review of services at Mountview care centre in Congleton.

It also confirms the Council's intention to secure respite care provision from the private sector in order to widen the range of choice for customers and deliver high-quality social care services which meet the needs of the community while delivering modern standards of care. This will be subject to formal consultation.

This is essential if Cheshire East Council is to effectively meet the long-term needs of its older residents.

The decision of the scrutiny committee was warmly welcomed by Cheshire East Council Leader Michael Jones who said the Council could now proceed with its plans without further delays.

In Cheshire East, 30 per cent of adults who reach their nineties are likely to suffer from either Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

Cheshire East has an approximately 5,400 residents, known to the Council, aged over 65 with dementia. This is predicted to rise substantially by 2020.

Councillor Janet Clowes, Cheshire East Council Cabinet member in charge of health and care in the community also welcomed the scrutiny committee decision today.

She said: "This is a sensible decision. This Council firmly believes in putting residents first – and, above all, our concern and responsibility is to protect the welfare of our most vulnerable citizens.

"This is about giving the residents the appropriate care, at the appropriate time in the appropriate environment.

"The Council is taking positive action to increase the range of respite provision to increase the choice and control for carers while ensuring modern, high quality of care.

"It should be remembered that the decision to transfer residential respite services to the independent sector was taken in June 2013, subject to appropriate respite provision being secured locally for Congleton residents. This has now been achieved.

"The report before Cabinet on July 1 spelled out that we have identified provision of more than 1,000 respite bed nights a year in the independent sector in the Congleton area.

The most recent report to Cabinet provided a fuller description of the commissioning plans for dementia, which underpin these changes. Key priorities in that plan that the Council is committed to are:

• Early diagnosis;
• Early support and reablement; and
• Crisis support.

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