With more than 17,000 people living with dementia in Lancashire, NHS mental health experts have launched a consultation (3 December to 25 February), which will offer the opportunity for members of the public to have their say on possible changes to specialist dementia services in Lancashire.
Through the consultation process, NHS Lancashire and Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust are aiming to readdress the balance of existing services to deliver enhanced care and better access for the local community. Running for 12 weeks, the consultation will involve 16 public events across the county allowing local residents, healthcare professionals and many other interested parties the chance to hear more about the options currently proposed and express their opinion.
A consultation document provides an overview of the two options, addressing the community and inpatient services for each, as well as the possible advantages and issues involved. The two options, the first which proposes a single site in Blackpool with extensive community services and the second which suggests two sites in Blackpool and Blackburn with reduced community services, are fully explained in the consultation document. Available to download at:
www.lancashirementalhealth.co.uk.
Janet Soo-Chung, chief executive, NHS Lancashire, comments:
“With thousands of people currently living with dementia across Lancashire and with cases expected to rise, the amended services must be able to cope with this future increase within our local community. The consultation will allow us to take into account views before making any decisions. By using the expertise of other mental health experts and engaging with people outside of the NHS, we aim to achieve a consistent high quality network of specialist dementia services for Lancashire.”
There are currently 17,607 people aged 65 and over in Lancashire with dementia and at least 317 people with dementia in Lancashire under the age of 65. Numbers are expected to increase to 25,611 (by 2025), a projected increase of nearly 50%*. In West Lancashire there are 1365 of people living with dementia**.
Dr Amanda Thornton, clinical director for adult community services at Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust added:
“Caring for people with dementia is a priority for the Trust and its partners. The aim is to provide a robust network of care that enables people with dementia to be supported in their usual place of residence for as long as possible. There is a strong evidence base to suggest that this is the most effective way to care for people and that better outcomes and quality of life can be achieved through such an approach.
“A huge amount of investment has already been made into developing community teams to enable people to be cared for in their home environment which means that fewer people with dementia require a hospital admission. Of course specialist hospital beds will be available for those people who require one and the aim of the consultation is to get the views of the public on how services should be arranged and delivered in the future. As our population increases and ages it is important that we plan the delivery of services accordingly to ensure that they are able to meet the needs of local people whilst remaining sustainable. The consultation is a real opportunity for local people to play a part in this process.”
NHS West Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the other emergent CCGs across NHS Lancashire are fully engaged with the plans and will be responsible for ensuring that the outcome of the consultation is implemented.
Anyone is welcome to come along to a public event, which are taking place locally in:
- West Lancashire – Tuesday 8 Jan – 1-3pm – Skelmersdale Ecumenical Centre
- West Lancashire – Tuesday 24 Jan – 6-8pm – Brookside Dementia Resource Centre
The Lancashire mental health team is available to offer further explanation around the dementia consultation on 01254 282128 orlmht@lancashirecare.nhs.uk or you can write to FREEPOST BRLIC NWW7363A, Lancashire Mental Health Team, NHS Blackburn with Darwen, Blackburn, BB1 2BR.
The consultation document and survey are available on the website:
www.lancashirementalhealth.co.uk.
Ends
NOTES TO EDITORS
Media contact
For further information, photos and/or local statistics please contact:
- Meg Pugh at NHS Lancashire 01772 644445/07795 287208 meg.pugh@centrallancashire.nhs.uk
- Katie Stephenson 01772 695368/07507 595380 Katie.Stephenson@LancashireCare.nhs.uk
Public consultation: dementia
- The 12 week public consultation will run from 3 December to 25 February
- NHS Lancashire is consulting with Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Public events will take place across the county in January 2013
- The consultation document details the options and the scale of dementia cases and services in Lancashire
- More information and the consultation document is available at www.lancashirementalhealth.co.uk
- The survey is available at www.feedbacksurveys.org.uk/lancsdementia
Dementia (UK and Lancashire)
- According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are now 800,000 people with dementia in the UK and there are estimated to be 670,000 family and friends acting as primary carers.
- The current financial cost of dementia is £23 billion a year to the NHS, local authorities and families and the cost will grow to £27 billion by 2018.
- 17,607 people aged 65 and over in Lancashire with dementia, and there are currently at least 317 people with dementia in Lancashire under the age of 65.
- Numbers are expected to increase to 25,611 (by 2025), a projected increase of nearly 50%. The prevalence of the disease increases significantly with age, so the estimated growth in prevalence is particularly connected to the projection of large increases in the 85+ population.
- There is projected increase across Lancashire with an estimate that increases over the next 15 years range between 30% (Blackpool) and nearly 70% (Chorley) (Source: Mental Health Observatory).
Local statistics
Local figures on the number of cases in Lancashire are available on request from the above media contacts.
*Predicted growth based on 2010 and sourced from the Mental Health Observatory
** Source of estimated prevalence: Dementia UK, Expert Delphi Consensus
Public events
A full list of events taking place in January 2013 across Lancashire is below:
| Location | Date (Jan) |
Time | Venue |
| West Lancashire |
Tuesday 8 | 1pm – 3pm | Skelmersdale Ecumenical Centre, Skelmersdale, WN8 6LU |
| Hyndburn | Thursday 10 | 1pm – 3pm | Accrington Town Hall, Accrington, BB5 1LA |
| Blackpool | Thursday 10 | 6pm – 8pm | The Education Centre, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Blackpool, FY3 8NR |
| Darwen | Friday 11 | 10am – 12noon | Darwen Library Theatre, Darwen, BB3 3BU |
| South Ribble |
Tuesday 15 | 10am – 12noon | Leyland Civic Centre, Leyland, PR25 1DH |
| Ribble Valley |
Tuesday 15 | 1pm – 3pm | The Grand, Clitheroe, BB7 2DL |
| Burnley | Wednesday 16 | 6pm – 8pm | Burnley Football Club, 1882 Lounge, Burnley, BB10 4BX |
| Wyre | Thursday 17 | 1pm – 3pm | Wyre Civic Centre, Poulton-le-Fylde, FY6 7PU |
| Lancaster | Friday 18 | 1pm – 3pm | Lancaster Town Hall, Lancaster, LA1 1PJ |
| Rossendale | Monday 21 | 1pm – 3pm | St Mary’s Chambers, Rawtenstall, BB4 6QX |
| Preston | Monday 21 | 6pm – 8pm | Gujarat Centre, Preston, PR1 8JN |
| Blackburn | Thursday 24 | 1pm – 3pm | Blackburn Central Library, Blackburn, BB2 1AG |
| West Lancashire |
Thursday 24 | 6pm – 8pm | Brookside, Dementia Resource Centre, Ormskirk, L39 3BH |
| Fylde | Friday 25 | 10am – 12noon | Kirkham Community Centre, Kirkham, PR4 2AN |
| Pendle | Monday 28 | 10am – 12noon | Training 2000, Conference Centre, Nelson, BB9 9AR |
| Chorley | Monday 28 | 1pm – 3pm | Chorley Town Hall, Chorley, PR7 1DP |