New Report Raises Concerns

The quality of care offered to dementia patients in hospitals must improve following the release of a report into training standards, a leading mental health expert has demanded.

According to the National Audit on Dementia by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, a number of sufferers are not given the required health tests or assessments needed upon their admission to hospitals.

It also revealed just one in 20 hospitals have made dementia awareness a mandatory requirement for members of staff.

Sarah Head, an advisor in social and healthcare issues for Irwin Mitchell, said: “There are clear concerns highlighted in this report that need to be addressed as soon as possible.

“It is unacceptable that patients suffering from an illness as debilitating as dementia are not being given the best possible level of care while being treated by nurses and other members of staff in hospitals.

“Patient safety must always be a priority regardless of what that person is being treated for and this study has highlighted major issues that standards are just not being met at many sites.”