4 Fair care for people with dementia
Resolution submitted by the RCN Derby Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress calls for RCN Council to lobby health care providers, commissioners and government to enable people with dementia to have access to a full range of health care services
- Work led by the Public Policy Committee
- Lead RCN Council member: Evelyn Nicholls
The Congress debate centred on the need for better person-centred care, ensuring nurses are skilled enough to recognise the signs and symptoms of pain in people with dementia and the need to raise awareness of the issues.
Work for this resolution has focused on ensuring that the RCN takes every opportunity to include dementia in its day-to-day work activities across the UK. This has been achieved by ensuring there is a clear focus on mental health in the RCN’s Dignity Campaign, and through the RCN and Age Concern Education Taskforce work highlighting the needs of people with dementia.
The RCN contributed significantly to the Age Concern enquiry into mental health and dementia and made full use of its place on the board of this enquiry. The RCN will also make certain it contributes to the recently announced Department of Health (England) dementia strategy.
In Wales, the RCN worked with Age Concern Cymru to influence the Welsh Assembly Government, while in Northern Ireland the RCN established a new older people’s nursing network, to promote good practice among nurses caring for people with dementia. The RCN is also currently working in partnership with the Dementia Services Development Centre in Northern Ireland to highlight relevant issues, promote awareness of dementia and facilitate good practice.
The Scottish Government has produced Better health, better care: a discussion document in which dementia care is a priority area, and has established a dementia forum at which the RCN is represented. This forum will set priorities for dementia care.