'Urgent action needed' over dementia care

Published on Monday 14 September 2009 09:52

THE demand on health services caused by rising numbers of dementia patients needs to be urgently addressed, a nurses union has said.

The Edinburgh-based Royal College of Nursing said with a predicted 75 per cent increase in the number of people with the illness in the next 20 years, the NHS and politicians had to turn their attention to the problem now.

Evelyn Ryan, the RCN's representative on the dementia strategy group, said: "There is an urgent need to ensure they receive appropriate levels of support and care as demands on services increase.

"The needs of those with dementia must be central to services delivered by nursing teams whether this is at home, in care homes or in hospitals."