Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they give to carers in the early stages of helping sufferers of dementia, including Alzheimer’s; and what training and advice is available on Specialised Early Care for Alzheimer's techniques.

No formal assessment of Specialised Early Care for Alzheimer’s has been made. The commissioning of health and social care services to meet the needs of the local population in line with relevant clinical guidelines is the responsibility of clinical commissioning groups and local authorities.

It is the responsibility of social care provider organisations by law, to ensure their employees are qualified and trained to carry out their duties including caring for people living with dementia. The skills and competencies that paid carers require in respect of dementia are set out in the Dementia Training Standards Framework. A copy of the Dementia Training Standards Framework is attached. In addition, the Government is committed to continuing to value, recognise and support unpaid carers to provide care in a way that supports their own health & wellbeing. That is why on 5 June 2018, the Department published the Carers Action Plan 2018-2020, setting out a cross-Government programme of targeted work to support carers over the next two years and we will ensure a clear focus on carers in the forthcoming Adult Social Care Green Paper. A copy of the Carers Action Plan 2018-2020 is attached.

Dementia remains a key priority for the Government. We are committed to all National Health Service and care staff receiving appropriate training on dementia. The Care Certificate helps to ensure that newly appointed healthcare assistants and social care support workers have undertaken dementia training. Skills for Care has developed a number of resources and qualifications to support those who care for people with dementia.

Information is not held centrally on the training and advice available on Specialised Early Care for Alzheimer’s techniques.

The Government is not taking any steps to encourage care homes to adopt Specialised Early Care for Alzheimer’s techniques as it is prioritising the Dementia Training Standards Framework.