Cross-Party MP and Alzheimer’s Society Call on Government to Address Social Care Workforce Crisis

Survey of nearly 2,000 people affected by dementia reveals less than half felt care staff had a good understanding of dementia and one in four didn’t feel at all involved in the planning of their care.

Alzheimer’s Society, people affected by dementia and a cross-party group of MPs today called on the Government in Parliament to listen to people with dementia and urgently address the social care workforce crisis.

As social care job vacancies hit a record 165,000, the group urged Government to prioritise the social care workforce, providing better pay, career progression and mandatory dementia training to ensure people with dementia can live the lives they want to.

With the number of people living with dementia in the UK set to rise to 1.6 million by 2040, from 900,000 today, the pressures on the social care system are set to grow even further.

Alzheimer’s Society said it was critical to create a workforce now which could deliver the care people with dementia need. Currently people with dementia make up 70% of residents in care homes and 60% of people who access homecare.

The Workforce Matters report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia, chaired by Debbie Abrahams MP and supported by Alzheimer’s Society, calls for a ten-year People Plan to create a social care workforce that is skilled and supported to provide high-quality personalised care for people living with dementia.

A survey of nearly 2,000 people affected by dementia revealed less than half of people affected by dementia felt care staff had a good understanding of dementia and over a quarter of people didn’t feel involved in the care received.

People interviewed for the report revealed carers lack dementia training and can sometimes struggle to deal with more challenging needs.

To read the report click here