NEWS U PDAT E8 CARE HOME PROFESSIONAL | August 2019P
eople living with dementia
have spent almost £15bn on
their own care since the govern-
ment first promised its Green Paper in
March 2017.
Alzheimer’s Society revealed that
people living have spent more on their
care (£14.5bn) than the government
since March 2017 (£9.3bn).
Jeremy Hughes, CEO of Alzheimer’s
Society, said: “This shocking sum of
money spent by people with dementia
over the last two years trying to get ac-
cess to the care and support they des-
perately need is utterly unacceptable.P
riory Group’s Wolverton Court in Dover has
been rated ‘outstanding’ for the second time
by the CQC.
The care home for adults with autism and learning dis-
abilities gained its second top rating following an inspection
in April.
James Frewin, Head of Inspection for Adult Social Care
(South East), said: “It was clear throughout the inspection,
that the staff took pride in their work and went the extra
mile for the people they supported. Not only have they kept
to a level of excellence but they have taken our report to
heart and tried to explore what else they could do to improve
the care they offer their clients.”
The CQC noted how the home’s culture of “positive risk
taking ” enabled people to achieve things that were previous-
ly unattainable. For example, people at the service with high
anxiety in crowds were supported by staff to attend major
events in London.
“People had goals and aspirations that they worked to-
wards and achieved,” the CQC added.
“These were person centred, for example one person had
progressed to gaining voluntary employment, whilst another
person was supported to go on holiday for the first time.”
The regulator noted how the home had reduced the
amount of medicines people were taking without adverse
effects and commended staff for working closely with health-
care professionals to enhance people’s communication
which reduced people’s challenging behaviour.“And the amount and quality of care
they’re getting for it – those who can
afford it – just isn’t good enough. The
results are people with dementia and
their families falling victim to this
dreadfully broken system.”
The number of people diagnosed
with dementia increased by 33,000 in
England during the two-year period.
Furthermore, people living with
dementia spent 1 million unnecessary
days stuck in hospital during the same
period, costing the NHS £340m.
The charity said people living with
dementia paid an average 15% abovestandard social care costs, typically
spending £100,000 on their care.
Alzheimer’s Society has called for
£2.4bn of the unallocated £3.5bn in
funding for community care attached
to the NHS Long-Term Plan to be used
for a Dementia Fund to help people
with meeting their care costs.
Jeremy added: “We need an immedi-
ate cash injection through a dedicated
Dementia Fund, while the government
works out a long term solution to
finally end this crisis in care. With di-
agnosis rates of dementia at an all-time
high, action can’t come soon enough.”PRIORY CARE HOME CELEBRATES SECOND ‘OUTSTANDING’ RATING
NEWS ROUND-UP
PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA SPENDING
BILLIONS ON OWN CARE
Jamie Warrender, Registered Manager at Wolverton
Court, said: “To be awarded ‘outstanding ’ for a second
consecutive time in all five domains is truly remarkable, a
tremendous accomplishment for myself, my outstanding
staff team, the wonderful people we support and their rela-
tives. We are passionate at Wolverton Court about delivering
outstanding person centred care and support and promoting
positive outcomes.
“The rating awarded is recognition of our dedication to
delivering above and beyond and making a truly measurable
and meaningful difference to people’s lives. I feel privileged
and honoured to lead such a wonderful team of people and
want to thank everyone involved for their contribution in
making this achievement possible.”