As agreed at its last meeting, the Commission is invited to consider how a review of Dementia Care for Elderly People should be conducted and where this review should be included in the Commission’s work programme. (See minute 67, “Mental Health Care”, 5 December 2013.)
Minutes:
The Commission was invited to consider how a review of Dementia Care for Elderly People could be conducted and where this review should be included in the Commission’s work programme. Members were reminded that information relevant to this had been considered at the Commission’s last meeting, (minute 67, “Mental Health Care”, 5 December 2013 referred).
The following comments were made during discussion on this item:-
· Due to the large amount of information already available on this subject, the Commission needed to be very clear about which issues it wished to address;
· Some issues, such as accessing existing services, could be complex to review, as the problems experienced by people with dementia could inhibit their ability to access them. In addition, it was an emotional and stressful time for their families and friends, which could limit their ability to assist;
· Members welcomed the clear identification in the “Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Joint Dementia CommissioningStrategy 2011-2014” of which agency would lead in each area;
· Research already had been undertaken with people who had not developed dementia, to identify if there were any key factors in why they had not developed it. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence had developed standards in relation to these and they were taken in to account in the strategies developed to date;
· The Commission needed information on whether the recommendations arising from the previous review of the mental health of working age adults by the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Commission had been implemented and, if they had not, the reasons why;
· Consideration could be given to whether members of the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Commission should be invited to participate in the review;
· Support for carers of people with dementia, especially those with early-onset dementia, could be included in the review. This could include the role and effectiveness of respite care;
· The scoping document should include reference to the impact on dementia care for the elderly of budget decisions already taken and those to be taken in the future; and
· Information was needed on whether the recommendation contained in the “Joint Specific Needs Assessment: Dementia in Leicester” that commissioners should find ways of obtaining more effective coding of the attendance of patients with dementia at the emergency department had been implemented.
RESOLVED:
1) That the Assistant Mayor (Adult Social Care) be asked to arrange for a presentation to be made to the next meeting of the Commission on current dementia care, to include information on the following:-
a) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence standards relating to mental health;
b) The extent of the implementation of the recommendations arising from the previous review of the mental health of working age adults by the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Commission; and
c) The extent of the implementation of the recommendation contained in the “Joint Specific Needs Assessment: Dementia in Leicester” that commissioners should find ways of obtaining more effective coding of the attendance of patients with dementia at the emergency department;
2) That members of the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Commission be invited to participate in this review;
3) That the Scrutiny Support Office be asked to invite the Carers Federation to participate in this review; and
4) That, following consideration of the presentation requested under resolution 1 above, the Commission agree the way forward for the review of dementia care for elderly people.