Posted 22 January 2020
Posted 22 January 2020
News
People with dementia face multiple emergency admissions every year
Alzheimer’s Society says annual emergency admissions rise in England cost NHS £280 million
Alzheimer’s Society says annual emergency admissions rise in England cost NHS £280 million
2012-13 figures Picture: John Houlihan
Annual emergency admissions figures for people with dementia have risen by 100,000 in England since 2012-13.
New data analysed by charity the Alzheimer’s Society show that more than half of all people with a dementia diagnosis in England experienced multiple emergency admissions to hospital in 2017-18, at an estimated cost to the NHS of more than £280 million.
According to the charity, there are around 850,000 people with dementia across the UK.
Thousands stuck in hospital after an emergency admission
The 2017-18 data for England reveal:
- There were 379,000 emergency admissions of people with dementia, an increase of 35% on 2012-13 figures.
- The number who ended up stranded in hospital for up to a year after an emergency admission was up 6% on 2012-13.
- About 40,000 people with dementia were stuck in hospital for longer than a month after an emergency admission.
Lack of social care support
Alzheimer’s Society chief executive Jeremy Hughes said: ‘People with dementia are all too often being dumped in hospital and left there for long stays. Many are only admitted because there’s no social care support to keep them safe at home.’
RCN Emergency Care Association chair David Smith said: ‘A busy emergency department is not an ideal place for someone who needs familiarity and close attention.
‘We do not provide the care we endeavour to, because of the workload, and can only mitigate so much, meaning patients are left at risk of falls and deterioration.’
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