Sheffield MP backs new Alzheimer's Society campaign

Angela Smith joined over 160 other MPs at the launch of Alzheimer’s Society’s new ‘Fix Dementia Care’ campaign.

MPs gathered in Westminster to call for greater transparency across the NHS following an Alzheimer’s Society investigation which found too many people with dementia are falling while in hospital, being discharged at night or being marooned in hospital despite their medical treatment having finished.

Freedom of Information requests found that in 2014-15 some 28 per cent of people over the age of 65 who fell in hospital had dementia, but it was as high as 71 per cent in the worst performing hospital trust.

In 68 trusts that responded, 4,926 people with dementia were discharged between the hours of 11pm and 6am.

In the worst performing hospitals, people with dementia were found to be staying five to seven times longer than other patients over 65.

Ms Smith said: “Good hospital care for people with dementia should never be a throw of the dice – yet in some hospitals people are routinely experiencing the consequences of poor care.

“Alzheimer’s Society were in Westminster to urge MPs to back their new Fix Dementia Care campaign to end the postcode lottery on the quality of hospital care people with dementia face. The first step to improving the issue across the country is greater transparency - once we know where the shortcomings are we can take steps to tackle them.”

George McNamara, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Poor care can have devastating, life-changing consequences.”