Campaigners hail U-turn on threat to dementia services
A petition calling for a planned overhaul of day care services across Hambleton and Richmondshire was handed in to County Hall this week.
Campaigners from Stokesley collected more than 1,000 signatures to urge the commissioning bodies, North Yorkshire County Council and NHS North Yorkshire and York, along with the Alzheimer’s Society to think again about the proposed changes to provision.
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Hide AdNow in the face of the growing pressure, the county council has announced that the Alzheimer’s Society has agreed not to push ahead with any proposed closures.
The local authority has also said it will be maintaining funding levels of £275,000 and has pledged a further £50,000, while the NHS North Yorkshire and York will also continue to contribute more than £145,000.
County councillor Clare Wood, North Yorkshire’s executive member for health and adult services, said: “Following a meeting earlier this week, the county council is pleased to announce that we will be working together with the Alzheimer’s Society and the NHS to maintain all of their existing day services including Stokesley and Great Ayton.
“We invest a significant amount in the Alzheimer’s Society to support people with dementia and we want to make sure users continue to enjoy a range of services best suited to their needs.”
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Hide AdA county council spokesman stressed that it has been particularly concerned that all existing day services should continue including Stokesley and Great Ayton if users and their families wish them to do so.
The review was announced amid growing pressure on services as the county’s population slants towards an ageing population.
It is predicted that the over-65s will represent a quarter of North Yorkshire’s population by 2020.
Health chiefs claimed the overhaul would ensure services are delivered in a “sustainable way”.
But campaigners raised concerns that Alzheimer’s sufferers would become increasingly isolated as the overhaul could lead to more support being provided in patients’ homes.