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<p>Dementia is a key priority for this Government and we are committed to ensuring
people with dementia and their carers receive the best possible care in all care settings.
That is why in 2012 we launched the first ever Prime Minister’s Challenge on dementia
to increase diagnosis rates, raise awareness and understanding and double funding
for research in dementia by 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A number of steps
have been taken to help care for dementia patients in the community:</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p>- On 1 April 2014 we put in place a new Dementia Directed Enhanced
Service, which has had over 80% take up by general practitioners to reward practices
for facilitating timely diagnosis and support for people with dementia.</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p>- In the hospital setting, through the Dementia Commissioning for Quality
and Innovation reward (introduced from April 2012), with around 4,000 referrals a
month, it is clear that more people with dementia in hospitals are being identified
and assessed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- The Dementia Care & Support Compact,
the care sector’s own response to the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia, sets
out a commitment to support the delivery of the challenge and improve care and support
for people with dementia, their carers and families.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-
Health Education England, Skills for Care and Skills for Health launched pilots for
the new Care Certificate on 28 April 2014. Taking place across a range of health and
social care settings, the pilots are testing a set of standards designed to help employers
to assess not only workers’ skills, but also the knowledge, behaviours and values
that are required to deliver compassionate and quality care. The pilots are nearing
completion. Subject to evaluation, we plan to introduce the Care Certificate by 1
April 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- The Government’s refreshed Mandate to
Health Education England, published on 1 May 2014, builds on the existing ambition
to have 100,000 National Health Service staff receive Tier 1 training on dementia
by setting an ambition for a further 250,000 NHS staff to receive Tier 1 training
on dementia by March 2015, with the tools and training opportunities being made available
to all staff by the end of 2018.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- 70 communities across
England have signed up to the national Dementia Friendly Communities recognition process,
with an increased ambition to reach 75 by March 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-
On 7 May 2014 Public Health England and the Alzheimer’s Society launched a major new
campaign with the aim of securing one million people to become dementia friends by
March 2015. The campaign is aimed at improving understanding and attitudes about dementia
and towards people with the condition. There are currently over 520,000 Dementia Friends.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- We have made available £50 million capital funding for 2013-14
for the NHS and local authorities to work with providers to create better care environments
to help people with dementia live well with the condition. The projects are now in
the process of being evaluated and we will disseminate the key recommendations by
the end of the year.</p><p> </p>
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