Agenda item

To consider a presentation from representatives of the Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group and the Council’s Adult Social Care Service setting out background information on dementia, services and support on offer in Stockport as well as the policy context locally and nationally.

Nicole Alkemade (Older People's Joint Commissioning Manager, Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group), Maureen Hughes (Project Manager, Adult Social Care, Stockport Council) and Mark Perry (Development Worker, Stockport Dementia Care Training) attended the meeting and gave a presentation setting out the background and context for the review, including information about:-

·         the prevalence of dementia, its symptoms and impact

·         the care pathway in Stockport

·         the carer’s journey

·         the development of dementia friendly communities

·         support available to carers in Stockport, including drop-in groups.

The presentation highlighted the following issues:-

·         Nationally, those with dementia reported that one of things that mattered most to them was that “Those around me are well supported and are in good health”, but that only 47% of those responding to an Alzheimer’s Society survey in 2014 agreed that their carer received any help in caring for their charge.

·         2,540 people in Stockport were diagnosed with dementia but about 3,725 people were thought to have dementia (2015 estimates), and this was expected to reach 6,034 by 2030

·         Involving those with dementia and their carers in designing and delivering services, such as training, was extremely valuable to the effectiveness of those services.

·         ‘Drop-in’ services were volunteer lead and required limited amounts of clinical/ professional support.

·         There was a significant danger of isolation of carers of those with dementia, particularly where there was a deterioration or significant change in the behaviour of the person with dementia, or when they went into care.

·         Developing the Dementia Friendly Communities agenda was in large part the development of good customer care, which would benefit the whole community.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Councillors queried why Stockport was not part of the Dementia Action Alliance. In response it was stated that the revised Dementia Strategy would in effect bring this to fruition, but that partners were already involved in a range of regional groups to further the agenda. While there was strategic value in the Alliance, it was felt that mainstreaming dementia friendly policies and having meaningful activity on the ground was a greater priority.

·         The current distribution of support groups/ drop-ins would serve very specific communities. It was hoped that the revised Strategy would seek to expand their coverage/ reach and create a network of such groups. A lottery bid was being prepared to fund the support needed for volunteers etc that would underpin this approach. It was hoped to align this network to the integrated locality structure.

·         The cost of accommodation etc was often a barrier to community/volunteer-led activity and this meant such groups were not sustainable as they relied heavily on the good will of one or two specific individuals. The Marple pilot scheme was based on a model that was hoped would be more sustainable as it was based in a local pub that provided mutual benefit for both the landlord and group-attendees.

·         Schools and colleges should be part of any campaign to raise awareness as young people may be able to recognise the symptoms of dementia in their own family. In response it was confirmed that this would feature in the revised Strategy, and that work was underway with Stockport School to develop a ‘Dementia Café’ on site for use by the community where young people and those with dementia would be able to interact.

·         Members discussed the dementia friendly community pilot in Marple. It was commented that while training could be provided to local businesses it would require ongoing support to maintain as staff would change etc. It was hoped that having a drop-in group in the community would enable ongoing links to be made with local businesses. In relation to transport, it was suggested that this might be a significant barrier to some people but that training and support had to be tailored to the individual’s needs.

·         The current drop-in arrangements meant that communities in a significant part of Stockport were not necessarily covered by an easily accessible drop-in. How can new groups to fill these ‘gaps’ be encouraged? Building on local interest was the key to ensuring that where new groups were established these were sustainable, but also to finding what was most suitable for a particular community.

·         Local housing providers often had the facilities to host groups, and staff were often trained to deal with those with dementia.

·         It was anticipated that there would eventually be a spike in those people with Learning Disabilities who also had dementia as the population aged. This cohort would put a significant strain on services and on carers in particular as their needs were likely be very different.

·         Overcoming the stigma of dementia, and the fear people had of those with the condition, would be a vital element in the success of creating dementia friendly communities.

·         Stockport NHS Foundation Trust would be launching their Dementia Strategy, and engagement with carers had been a key element of that.

The Panel also discussed attending the local drop-in sessions to gain an appreciation of the services on offer.

RESOLVED – (1) That Nicole Alkemade, Maureen Hughes and Mark Perry be thanked for their attendance and presentation.

(2) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to circulate information to all members of the Scrutiny Committee in relation to the dementia drop-in sessions.

(3) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to include on the next Panel Meeting agenda the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust Dementia Strategy and invite appropriate officers from the Trust to attend and discuss their work.