Families Face Dementia Care Postcode Lottery, Warns Carehome.co.uk
Families across the UK are facing a dementia care “postcode lottery”, with the availability of advanced dementia support ranging from 57% of care homes in London to just 23% in Northern Ireland, according to new analysis from carehome.co.uk.
The findings, released during Dementia Action Week, reveal stark regional disparities in access to specialist dementia care, particularly for people living with advanced or complex forms of the condition. While many care homes are able to support residents in the earlier stages of dementia, provision drops significantly as needs increase.
According to the findings from their report Caring Britain: How the care landscape is changing, London has the highest availability of advanced and complex dementia care, with 57% of care homes able to meet higher-level dementia needs.
Other regions with relatively strong provision include the East of England at 50%, South East England at 46%, Scotland and the East Midlands both at 45%, and the West Midlands at 44%.
Availability is considerably lower elsewhere, including South West England at 40%, the North East and Yorkshire & The Humber at 38%, North West England at 34%, Wales at 33%, and Northern Ireland, which has the lowest level of provision at just 23%.
carehome.co.uk, warns this uneven distribution risks leaving families with limited options as dementia progresses, potentially forcing people to move away from familiar environments and support networks to access suitable care.
The issue comes as demand for dementia care continues to rise. Around 70% of care home residents are estimated to be living with dementia or severe memory problems, yet care staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are not legally required to complete dementia training.
Recent Skills for Care data shows fewer than a third (29%) of England’s care workforce has received any dementia training.
Sue Learner, editor at carehome.co.uk, said: “It is not fair that families face vastly different outcomes depending on where they live. Dementia is a progressive condition and people need confidence that appropriate care will be available throughout every stage.
“At the moment, there is a clear imbalance in access to advanced dementia support across the UK. Without greater national consistency, many families have to face difficult decisions, including moving loved ones away from their communities so they can access the right care.”
carehome.co.uk is calling for a national conversation around dementia care capacity, workforce development and long-term planning to help ensure people living with dementia can access appropriate care regardless of where they live.
Mark Reed, chief operating officer at Evolve Care Group, which operates eight care homes and delivers dementia training through its Evolve Care Academy, said:
“Dementia is not a one-size-fits-all condition, which is why staff need more than basic training to provide good care. When teams understand a person’s history, routines and emotional needs, it can significantly reduce distress and improve wellbeing.”
Mr Reed highlighted the example of Ben, a former serviceman living with advanced dementia and PTSD-related trauma, who became increasingly distressed in a previous care home. After moving to Heanton Nursing Home, staff used person-centred dementia approaches to adapt care around his military identity, greeting him by his military title and returning his salute. The personalised approach helped him feel safer, calmer and more understood.
