Moray dementia patients risk losing out on promised support
Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has expressed disappointment that fewer than a fifth of NHS Grampian patients diagnosed with dementia are getting the support they had been promised by the Scottish Government.
New figures show that only 18.6 percent of newly diagnosed patients in the NHS Grampian area, which includes Moray, are being referred for post-diagnostic support. This leaves Grampian as the worst-performing mainland health board in Scotland, behind the national average of 46.7 percent.
This is despite a Scottish Government pledge that “all those newly diagnosed with dementia should have a minimum of 12 months post-diagnostic support”.
Commenting, Jamie Halcro Johnston said:
“These figures are very concerning and show a real neglect of the support that every newly diagnosed dementia patient is support to be entitled to.
“Instead, fewer than one in five patients are even being referred to the service, despite an SNP promise that every new patient would receive a full year package.
“Being diagnosed with dementia can be a frightening experience and is likely to herald significant changes in a person’s life. They should know that someone is there to support them at these times.
“While we were well aware of the waiting times issues at NHS Grampian, this support is targeted at some of the most vulnerable people in our society. I will be writing to the health board to get a clearer understanding of why these figures are so low when compared to both the national average and the performance of other mainland boards”.
“I hope that some improvement can be shown by NHS Grampian and the Scottish Government, because it is clearly unacceptable for failings like this to be allowed to continue.”
