How NHS betrayed Alzheimer's patients: As a third of services are slashed, the Mail launches Christmas appeal to halt neglect
By
Daniel Martin
Last updated at 9:00 AM on 02nd December 2008
The scandal of widespread cutbacks in NHS care affecting thousands of Alzheimer's patients is exposed today.
Almost one in three health trusts admits axing vital services such as district nurses and day centres, leaving desperate families to struggle alone.
Fewer than half are running clinics to spot early signs of Alzheimer's despite soaring numbers of patients.
Celebrities including Angela Rippon, whose mother Edna suffered from Alzheimer's, are backing our campaign
And, most damningly, two in five trusts fail to provide any dementia services at all.
The disturbing findings are unveiled as the Daily Mail launches Action on Alzheimer's, our Christmas appeal to raise funds for those with this devastating disease and other dementia conditions.
Celebrities including Sir Cliff Richard and broadcaster Angela Rippon have given their heartfelt support to the campaign.
The findings on NHS care, from a survey carried out for the Alzheimer's Society, shows that help has never been more needed.
Around 700,000 people have dementia in Britain, costing the nation £17billion a year.
This number is on course to reach a million by 2025 as the population ages, according to official estimates.
Best-selling author Terry Pratchett, who was diagnosed with a rare form of dementia last year, recently warned Prime Minister Gordon Brown that Britain faces a 'tsunami of Alzheimer's' unless more funding for a cure is found.
Given the scale of the emergency, 98 per cent of primary care trusts insist dementia is one of their top priorities.
Yet the survey carried out for the Alzheimer's Society by GP magazine lays bare the reality for thousands of sufferers and their families.
It shows services may be getting worse - not better - despite the NHS budget doubling to almost £100billion a year and a new dementia strategy for healthcare staff.
Results from Freedom of Information requests found 30 per cent of primary care trusts have closed or downgraded dementia services in the past three years.
This includes slashing the number of district nurses providing support for those with the disease, or closing day centres for Alzheimer's sufferers.
An astonishing 40 per cent of trusts admitted they did not provide any specific dementia service at all. Forty-one per cent said they had no early detection services or clinics.
The figures could be far worse because only 57 out of England's 152 primary care trusts responded to the survey. Campaigners fear those who did not reply had even worse services.
Money donated by Daily Mail readers to our Action on Alzheimer's appeal will go to the Alzheimer's Society, where it will be spent on a range of vital services.
These include home care for those with dementia, support and advice for patients, and funding research into drugs to alleviate the symptoms of the disease.
Sir Cliff's mother Dorothy died last year after living with Alzheimer's for ten years.
'With help from Daily Mail readers, the Alzheimer's Society can continue to provide a lifeline to other families caring for a loved one with dementia this Christmas,' Sir Cliff said.
Angela Rippon's mother Edna benefits from good quality dementia care, but the broadcaster knows she is one of the lucky ones.
She said: 'Those who suffer from dementia need a voice. By supporting the Daily Mail's Christmas appeal for the Alzheimer's Society you will be ensuring that people with dementia are heard - and that the good quality dementia care they deserve is widely available for all in need.'
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said: 'The NHS is completely failing to face to the fact that we have a serious issue here, not just in terms of numbers but in terms of the terrible impact of dementia on an increasing number of sufferers or their families.
'If we were talking about cuts to services for another disease, such as cancer, there would be a national outcry, and the NHS would not be able to get away with it.
'What we need the NHS to do is to detect the signs of dementia, diagnose it early, break the news properly and offer sources of help. That is not happening.
'Patients have told us that early diagnosis helps them make plans and get support in place before things get really bad.
'Services have always been patchy across the NHS but to hear PCTs are cutting them back is too much.'
Emma Bower, editor of GP magazine, which carried out the survey for the society, said: ' Specialist services are vital to ensure people with dementia are identified early, and patients and families receive support.
'But our figures show that in many areas this is not possible because the services either aren't there or have been withdrawn. It leaves GPs in a very difficult position because they are unable to get their patients the help that they need.'
Leading old age psychiatrist Dr David Wilkinson said: 'The number of Alzheimer's sufferers are going up year on year.
'It is incredibly short-sighted for PCTs to be cutting back. It's penny pinching when we should be investing in services.'
Tory health spokesman Stephen O'Brien said: 'It is ludicrous that services should be being cut back as the number of people with dementia rises. This is an issue of absolute priority.'
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said: 'Getting this right is essential both for the wellbeing of those with Alzheimer's but also of their carers. Getting it wrong can lead to deterioration in health - and Labour is getting it wrong.'
A spokesman for the Department of Health said: 'Dementia is affecting an increasing number of families in our society and one of the greatest challenges now facing NHS and social care services.
'That is why our national dementia strategy is so important. It will set out how we will improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their families, improve the quality of care dementia sufferers receive, increase awareness of the condition and ensure earlier diagnosis and intervention.'
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Many people have lost their fight for life, through refusal for use of drugs that are available - so add kidney cancer to your list.
Does anyone else believe it is time to have a true breakdown of what the NHS is spending the taxpayers money on against its true income from the UKs Tax payers. I still believe that until we are told the real truth that the NHS has been, and still is being abused when the world comes to the UK for free health care, drugs, and in some cases benefits. I care not what the human rights demand in offering every tom, dick and harry their human rights, while our own population, who have given a life time of contributions are left until last for treatment that in the twilight years they were promised many years ago their well being would be attended too. It is time we highlighted the hidden scandals of treating the world parasites, while having the gaul to neglect out own citizens. It has become a National Scandal, and I hope this government has the guts to act and safeguard our own citizens human rights first and last.
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What's the point, of talking about it, having worked with people with dementia for years, also as an advocate, nothing has changed.
You can talk and talk, monies are giving for social care and what the local partnerships do with this money is their choice. Too many quangoes, it is frightening to think that they have such power.
Monies should be used for what they are intended for, and not to fill fat cats bank accounts.
- J. Smith, west sussex, 02/12/2008 13:02