The number of the hospital beds available and suitable for dementia patients

4.4   Deputy M.R. Higgins of the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding the number of hospital beds available and suitable for dementia patients: [1(579)]

Will the Minister advise how many hospital beds are currently available and suitable for dementia patients and outline what plans, if any, currently exist to increase the number of beds in the near future?

Senator A.K.F. Green (The Minister for Health and Social Services): Deputy McLinton will answer this question as Assistant Minister.

Deputy P.D. McLinton of St. Saviour (Assistant Minister for Health and Social Services

- rapporteur):

Currently there are no dementia-only beds within the General Hospital however all adult beds need to be able to accommodate someone who may have a dementia. Approximately 20 per cent of adults admitted to the General Hospital will have dementia. Community and Social Services provides 3 wards for hospital and nursing care in the specialist treatment of people with dementia with a total of 47 beds at Clinique Pinel and Rosewood House. Each ward is an 11-bed acute mental health unit providing assessment of dementia and cognitive impairment primarily for people aged 65 years or over. Maple Ward , an 18-bed intermediate and continuing care ward for people aged 65 years or over with complex dementia and mental health requirements who return home or transfer to other long-term setting is not currently possible due to the level of mental health support they require. Oak Ward a 19-bed continuing nursing end of life care ward for individuals with complex dementia who return home or transfer to other long-term setting is not currently possible due to lack of independent sector provision. There are no plans for H.S.S.D. (Health and Social Services Department) to provide more dementia care beds however the department is keen for the independent sector to develop in this area as, unlike other jurisdictions, there are currently no direct access dementia nursing beds within the independent sector.

Deputy M.R. Higgins:

I thank the Assistant Minister for his answer.

1. Deputy J.A. Martin of St. Helier :

It is good to hear from the Assistant Minister that Clinique Pinel is trying to encourage the private sector to do more dementia beds out in the community. But will the Assistant Minister please advise the Assembly that unless it has changed there is always a waiting list for these 47 beds because these are the people that the private sector cannot accommodate and unless it has changed, there is a real pressure on these 47 beds and it has stayed around that number probably for the last 10 years. If the private sector do not step up very shortly what plans does Health and Social Services have.

Deputy P.D. McLinton:

Interestingly the N.H.S. (National Health Service) mean provision of beds is 48 beds per 100,000 of registered population and Jersey has 150 beds per 100,000 of registered population. Three times the N.H.S. average for older mental health service beds. There has been significant investment into community dementia services taking place through P.82, which is increasing the community assessment and care services for people with dementia and will allow us to reduce assessment beds from 11 to 8 over the next 2 years. Yes, we are looking forward and encouraging the independent sector provision for complex dementia cases and a number of providers have expressed an interest in this, but this will take some time. But obviously with the ageing demographic it is important that there was provision for these beds both as will be maintained by H.S.S.D. and increased in the independent sector.

2. Deputy G.P. Southern :

Following the shakeup of delivery of home care in the community can the Assistant Minister inform Members how many of the 23 home care agencies are specialist in this area and have staff who have successfully trained in dementia, working in the community.

Deputy P.D. McLinton:

I am afraid I do not have access to that information but I am sure that we can find the answer to that question and forward it to Members.

3. Deputy G.P. Southern :

I look forward to seeing, as Members will, the answer to that question. The supplementary is: and what measures does he have under consideration to increase the level of training of the staff involved in home care in this area?

Deputy P.D. McLinton:

As the Deputy is aware, we are increasing our training locally across the board in Health and Social Services and because there will need to be a provision for this into the future then obviously this will be looked at. But again, further information should be forthcoming.

4. Senator S.C. Ferguson:

Can the Assistant Minister confirm that Orchard House is definitely not going to be decanted to Clinique Pinel across the road and if not, where will the patients at Orchard House be transferred to?

Deputy P.D. McLinton:

Basically all the movements and changes at  Orchard House and Clinique Pinel will be subsumed and everybody will be cared for because that is the primary objective, and as a result of the aforementioned Orchard House/Clinique Pinel plans there will be no reduction in dementia beds, so we can assure the Senator that all will be well into the future.

5. Senator S.C. Ferguson:

I do not think the Assistant Minister quite understood. I said: are the patients at Orchard House who are mental health patients, not going to be decanted to Clinique Pinel? These are patients with mental problems, not dementia. Are they going to go to Clinique Pinel or where else are they going?

Deputy P.D. McLinton:

The information that the Senator is seeking is being handled currently. [10:15]

For the movement I happen to know that everybody is being taken care of and will be remaining within the ... forgive me, just trying to find this information now, if I can do.

Senator S.C. Ferguson:

I wonder if I can help.

Deputy P.D. McLinton:

Thank you to the Senator. Marvellous, you fire away.

Senator S.C. Ferguson:

Perhaps the Assistant Minister would like to find out and come back to the Assembly with the information.

The Bailiff :

If you do not have it, Assistant Minister. Deputy P.D. McLinton:

I do have it, I am just trying to remember. There will be a new unit adjacent to Clinique Pinel, which will cover the shortfall and help with the movement forward. So I hope that answers the question.