How ironic that in the week before Dementia Action Week, this year themed around social care reform, the latest Queen’s Speech yet again failed to provide detailed plans to address the issues that have plagued the care system for years.…
Tag: politics
Care and support in the post-Brexit landscape
Mostly I love social media and its ability to give ‘real time’ reaction to news and events, but I have to say that I didn’t enjoy the negativity I saw this morning following the decision of the majority of the…
Mind the gap
Dementia making the headlines isn’t anything new and today’s make for fairly depressing, albeit highly predictable, reading. Anyone currently involved in dementia care in the UK, be that as a person with dementia, a family member supporting/caring for a person…
Focus on carers
Today sees the start of the annual Carers Week, an important campaign to help raise the profile and needs of carers in the UK and celebrate the vital contribution they make to society. This year’s theme is ‘Carer Friendly Communities’,…
Taking stock
Last weekend marked the 3rd anniversary of my dad’s death. Alongside remembering that immensely sad day, it also prompted a lot of reflection, both personally about dad’s life and the gap he has left behind, but also more generally about…
£55 to diagnose dementia
When the headlines first broke that GP’s in England are to be paid £55 to diagnose dementia, I have to admit I wasn’t surprised. Improving diagnosis rates has been the number one target since the 2009 National Dementia Strategy, and…
Falling through the statistical net
Statistics drive health and social care policy. If a condition, disease, treatment or care option doesn’t have a fairly alarming statistic attached to it, it is likely to be ignored. Interestingly, however, I’ve only really learnt this since I began doing…
G8 Dementia Summit – Our time is now
The first ever G8 Summit on Dementia will take place in London today. A historic moment that finally demonstrates an acknowledgement from the world that dementia is THE global health and care priority that governmnts worldwide are grappling with. Looking beyond…
G8 Dementia Summit – My dad’s message
I often wonder what life would be like if my dad was still alive. If he had never developed dementia I imagine him still growing a few veggies, reading his books, sitting in his chair enjoying box sets of the…
The voices of experience
I recently attended a high-profile meeting in London to discuss the ‘Timely Diagnosis of Dementia’. The attendees came from a wide variety of health and social care backgrounds, from those currently practicing medicine in various different settings, to academics and…
Part 1) When a label isn’t enough
***This is a two part blog post*** Early diagnosis of dementia is becoming a hot topic in the UK, with a multitude of different approaches including a campaign to increase the numbers of people seeking help, and proposals to screen…
Part 2) When a label isn’t enough
***This is a two part blog post*** Please read: Part 1) When a label isn’t enough Regardless of how much the government needs clear statistics of exactly how many people have dementia in the UK, presumably so that they can…
Putting your head above the parapet
Anyone who knows me will confirm that I am not afraid to speak up, firmly but fairly, if something is wrong. With TV programmes and magazines extolling the rights of the consumer, complaining about goods and services is something most…
