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Calls for dementia care improvements

03/06/2008

"Much more" needs to be done to improve the care of people with dementia living in care homes, a new report claims today.

The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) report says action is needed "urgently" to make sure all care homes are up to scratch.

It studied 100 care homes across England using a new system of inspection called SOFI (short observational framework for inspection) to watch the interaction between people with dementia and care home staff.

This enabled them to focus on the needs of people who cannot easily communicate.

The report says that although inspectors found examples of "excellent personalised care" this was "clearly not universal".

Over one-third of homes inspected did not meet statutory requirements in terms of the quality of their care planning.

In some homes staff were found to be detached from the care planning process and 155 statutory requirements were issued to 51 homes.

The CSCI recommends that care home managers provide leadership, home ethos, staff support and training to ensure excellent personalised care and to develop ways of assessing the well-being of the people with dementia they are caring for.

It also calls on the new regulator, the Care Quality Commission, to ensure that people's experiences are at the heart of their work.

CSCI chief inspector Paul Snell added: "The quality of life for people with dementia living in care homes is hugely affected by the way in which care staff communicate and empathise with them.

"Much depends on a care home's leadership and ethos, and the quality of training and support given to staff."

Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, described the standard of dementia care highlighted in the CSCI report as a "national disgrace".

"New standards currently being developed are a good opportunity to cut the sheaf from the wheat and show people what makes a good care home and where to find one.

"Two-thirds of people living in care homes have a form of dementia. Standards must make sure that all care homes are geared up to deliver good dementia care and that all staff receive dementia training."

King's Fund chief executive Niall Dickson added: "Over the next 20 years we are going to witness a dramatic increase in the number of people suffering from dementia.

"Unless there is a major breakthrough in drugs to arrest the course of this illness, there will be a great need for extra care and support, some of it quite intense."