Dementia given social care quality standards by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has made dementia one of the first conditions to have been given social care quality standards.

Service providers for people with dementia will need to follow the set of ten statements in order to maintain the mental and physical health of people with dementia, as well as their wellbeing.

The quality standards range from people with dementia being given more choice and control over the decisions affecting their care, to being able to participate in activities they enjoy.

Other standards include being able to discuss with experts if people are concerned about having dementia, and ensuring that people have involvement in the process of designing and planning the delivery of their services.

A spokesperson from the Alzheimer’s Society said: “There are 800,000 people living with dementia in the UK, many of whom rely on some form of social care. Whilst many people receive excellent quality care, too often standards are falling short and people are being denied the quality of life they deserve. It’s a welcome step that NICE are recognising the need to raise standards and have prioritised dementia as needing a benchmark for what good quality care should look like.

“These standards will be a useful tool for the care sector and show what people with dementia and carers should be able to expect. But, as they are not mandatory, it’s a case of wait and see as to whether this guidance will drive real change or just sit on the shelf.”

NICE has produced a short document to help commissioners to consider the impact of these quality targets, and how to deal with the implications that they might bring.

Although not mandatory, the quality standards aim to improve the quality of care being provided to people with dementia, and show that people can expect a constant level of high social care provision throughout the country.

Each of the ten standards provides details of experts who will be able to help to drive up standards, and the quality measure of the standard.