Dementia is the most costly medical condition in the UK and it is the group that will see the largest increase in numbers, mainly as a result of an increasingly ageing population. As people get older their physical needs will increase and the impact of these physical health problems will also contribute to the likelihood of older people seeking support for mental or emotional complaints.
It has been recognised nationally that dementia has not had the same high profile as other illnesses. A National Dementia Strategy (NDS) "Living well with dementia" was produced early in 2009. It has become increasingly clear both locally and nationally that dementia is one of the biggest challenges facing the health and social care economy. Dementia is a term surrounded in stigma, often misunderstood. Those with dementia are often not diagnosed quickly enough, leaving individuals with dementia, their families and carers in difficult circumstances.
With the number of people living with dementia expected to rise substantially over the next 25 years dementia is a key local priority.
This consultation has now closed and the formal response is available.
Consultation Summary
| Name | Living Well with Dementia in Herefordshire |
|---|---|
| Description | 1. Consultation with existing service users and their carers on how to improve dementia services in the county through the Al's Cafes and the Carer Support Group 2. Consultation with the general public on how to improve services for people with dementia in Herefordshire 3. A direct engagement exercise in the form of Dementia Postcard Campaign. Postcards would be distributed across Herefordshire to older people, people with dementia their families and carers, some by direct mail and the majority cascaded via community teams, inpatient services, GPs etc. Each postcard would ask the recipient for 'Three suggestions to improve life for people with dementia and/or their carers' The postcards would be returned using a pre-printed Freepost address and the results analysed by theme and % of respondents. |
| Dates | From 11 Feb 2010 to 10 Feb 2011. |
| Status | Complete |
| Contact | If you have any questions, please contact
|
Who is consulting? |
|
| Organisation | Herefordshire Council |
| Department | Service Redesign - Integrated Commissioning Directorate |
| Contact name | Amanda Edwards |
| Contact email address | Amanda.edwards@herefordpct.nhs.uk |
| Contact telephone number | 01432 344344 |
Who are we consulting with? |
|
| Target audience | Older people, Patients, Carers, Community groups / organisations, Service users, All residents, General public, Non-users of services, Parent, carers and guardians |
| Interest Areas | Adults and older people, Carers' issues, Long term conditions, Mental health, Social services/care, Specialist health services, Well-being |
| The parish(es) covered | |
| The ward(s) covered | Countywide |
Why are we consulting? |
|
| The reason for this consultation | To inform the development and implementation of a local dementia commissioning strategy for Herefordshire. |
How are we consulting? |
|
| The methodologies that were used | Public meeting, Focus group, Postal survey, Consultation document / leaflet inviting comments |
| Methods of promotion | Council website, Hereford Journal, Hereford Times, Hereford Times, Herefordshire Matters, Leominster Journal, Local radio, Other |
How are the results used? |
|
| How the results are being used | The information will be used to shape the commissioning intentions for the provision of dementia services across health and social care and for informing decisions about the future model of care for dementia in Herefordshire. |
The outcome of this consultation |
|
| Summary of the results | |
| How to obtain the full results | We will utilise the skills of the Corporate Communication Team to develop a Communication Strategy for the consultation. |
| Comments on the response to this consultation | |
Any further information |
|
| Additional comments | This is being calculated at present. Initial costs will include: 1. salary and expenses of staff member co-ordinating the workshops 2. Venue, refreshments and travel costs if applicable 3. Printing of the postcards, postage and freepost costs |