Kramer quizzes Lewis on dementia

6.54.59pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 24th Jun 2008

' . . let us consider elderly patients with dementia and their treatment in care homes.'

[June 05] Susan Kramer (Cabinet Office; Richmond Park, Liberal Democrat): I really appreciate the Minister's giving way and I apologise for not being here earlier. I was listening to the debate upstairs, and I came to the Chamber because I did not hear a subject that I am concerned about being covered. The Minister talks about dignity; let us consider elderly patients with dementia and their treatment in care homes. As he will know, my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) and I have lost the battle to keep open the flagship facility at St. John's hospital, which deals with such people. We are finding that all the alternatives use a chemical cosh to control people with extreme behavioural problems, which surely is not acceptable to anybody in this House. Will the Minister address that issue in the remainder of his speech?

Ivan Lewis (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Health; Bury South, Labour): It is very kind of the hon. Lady to join us and I agree entirely with the point that she makes about people with dementia. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) for the significant work that he has done to get this issue up the political agenda. That is why, this autumn, the Government are launching the first ever national dementia strategy. We will focus on a number of issues: not only early identification of the symptoms and appropriate diagnosis and referral, but the quality and nature of care that people with dementia receive. We will also focus specifically on the question of inappropriate medication, which is obviously a concern not only to us, but to many families. We have to be careful not to exaggerate the scale of the problem, but it is clear that medication is being used inappropriately-to suppress people, rather than to treat them appropriately. That cannot be acceptable in the context of dignity, or of a civilised society and best professional practice.