This will fund an additional dedicated dementia clinical post in every older person’s community mental health team across Wales, to provide advice and support to those diagnosed with dementia and also provide direct support to memory clinics, dementia training and awareness-raising for staff.
Funding has also been allocated to develop New Young Onset Dementia Community Services to support secondary and primary care in managing their patients, providing direct input into some complex cases.
Additional training on dementia will be offered to operators on the national mental health helpline CALL, which will also have a dedicated dementia information page on its website.
The Alzheimer's Society estimates that there are currently 39,000 people with dementia in Wales. This is set to rise by 35% over the next 20 years with one in three people over 65 expected suffer a form of dementia.
This funding will support health and social services deliver the dementia action plan that was developed by a group of health professionals and experts, chaired by Ian Thomas, Director of the Alzheimer’s Society in Wales.
The plan aims to:
- Develop better joint working across health, social care, the third sector and other agencies;
- improve early diagnosis and timely interventions;
- provide better information and support for people with the illness and their carers/ families;
- and offer additional training for those delivering care.
A new Mental Health Programme Board will oversee these goals. The board will be responsible for improving the quality of general hospital care for people with dementia and reducing the time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis being communicated to patients and their families.
Mrs Hart said:
“A significant amount of work has been undertaken in Wales to identify the action that is required to improve dementia services in Wales.
“The additional financial investment that is being made, despite the current tight financial climate, demonstrates my commitment and that of the Welsh Assembly Government to improve dementia services in Wales.â€
