WIREDGOV

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia (APPG) has published the findings of its inquiry into the dementia care skills of care home staff and staff supporting people with dementia in their own homes. 

The Group launched this inquiry to build a clearer picture of the current state of the social care workforce and its readiness to deliver personalised care to people with dementia. They wished to understand barriers to workforce development and learn about possible solutions.

In response to the Group's call for evidence the inquiry received over 240 submissions of evidence from the public and organisations. Drawing on this evidence parliamentarians concluded that levels of dementia care training are low and that, as a whole, the social care workforce is not currently ready to provide high quality dementia care. MPs and Peers heard that one third of care homes with dedicated dementia provision report having no specific dementia training for staff.

In response to these concerning findings, which can be read here, the Group sets out seven recommendations to transform dementia care and overcome barriers to workforce development. Launching the report, members of the Group called on the Department of Health to meet the commitments it made in the National Dementia Strategy to improve dementia training and skills (published in February 2009).

Read the report 'Prepared to care: challenging the dementia skills gap' and the oral evidence

Contact

For more information about the inquiry or to have any questions answered please email appg@alzheimers.org.uk or telephone 020 7423 3585.