Hospital inspectors will prioritise experience of carers of patients with dementia – CQC

The chief inspector of hospitals in England has promised that his inspection teams will look at provision for carers of people with dementia.

Sir Mike Richards made the comments as part of a recent conference discussion about how the work of John’s Campaign could be taken forward. This discussion is now available on YouTube.

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Set up in 2014, the campaign calls for the carers of inpatients with dementia to have the same rights as parents of sick children: to remain with their loved ones at any time in hospital.

Speaking at the John’s Campaign conference in London, professor Richards said Care Quality Commission (CQC) hospital inspectors now had carers of those with dementia on their minds.

‘Carers are on our agenda’

He said: ‘I think people know we are always looking at the care of people with dementia and that will now include carers of people with dementia – that is now on our agenda.

‘I hope that will help to raise it up the priority list. I would hope we are not going to see it take 17 years, I think it can be done a whole lot quicker.’

Patients’ insights

Retired nurse Theresa Clarke, who has dementia, told the conference audience it was important to include people with dementia in any discussion of how to improve care.

‘We don’t want everybody going into a nursing home, we want people to be productive – and thinking for themselves – for as long as possible,’she said.

Tommy Dunne, who also has dementia, said the ideas behind John’s Campaign had been proved to work and hospitals needed to get rid of red tape and take action.

‘I have no fear of dying but I have fear of going into a home or hospital. We have heard some horror stories today. We need to get this in place now.’