Agenda item

The report details the plans for Croydon working towards becoming a Dementia Friendly Borough.

Jack Bedeman, Consultant in Public Health gave a presentation to the Sub - Committee on the work that was being carried out by Croydon Dementia Action Alliance (CDAA) to establish Croydon as a Dementia Friendly Borough.

This report had been brought to the Sub Committee for scrutiny prior to a detailed report being presented to the Executive Leadership Team in January 2018.

Dementia is a significant issue not just for Croydon but nationally. The Sub-Committee was informed that there are approximately 850,000 people in the UK living with Dementia. As a result there was significant financial costs to the economy, impact on employers as 51% of carers were also in employment.

The commitment to being formally recognised as a ‘Dementia Friendly Community’ had commenced in March 2017 with the formal launch of Dementia Friendly Croydon planned for March 2018.

Croydon had linked with boroughs where Dementia work had progressed significantly such as Merton, for transformation advice and guidance. Additionally, Croydon had taken on board learning from various Dementia pro-active boroughs.

The presentation highlighted the plans, structure and proposal for raising awareness, and to seek support for various projects through the engagement of the whole community including Council departments.

Councillor Patsy Cummings arrived at 6.40pm

Croydon had begun to establish itself in terms of Dementia Alliance and had implemented its work plan in the following areas:

         Raising awareness through multiagency working and partnerships.

         Encouraging services such as police and London fire brigade to join the alliance.

         Addressing accessibility issues around the borough

         Engagement with carers.

         Council departments, staff and their interaction with people with dementia.

         Changes to council services to streamline processes to be dementia friendly.

         Working with ‘One Croydon’ Alliance.

The Sub Committee was informed that in order for the Alliance to map

 out its action plan and track key stages of raising awareness, a work

 programme had been devised which consisted of the following phases:

Phase One 

•              Stakeholder Engagement

•              Dementia Friendly Workshops

•              Identification of key themes for phase two

Phase Two

•              Launch of Dementia Friendly Croydon

•              Relaunch of Croydon Dementia Action Alliance

The actions under phase two to be implemented during National 

 Dementia week, 15-20 May 2018.

Phase Three

•              Submission of formal registration for the National Dementia Friendly Community Programme.                     

Members queried the financial implication of Croydon being a Dementia friendly borough. The officer responded that there were currently no specific financial implications and any future implication would depend on the extent of the work that is carried out in the borough. The officer further advised that the only current financial overhead were in terms of the workshops and the role of the Dementia Action Alliance & Social Inclusion Coordinator which was currently being funded.

The Sub Committee enquired as to whether there would be an entity that local charities could pay into to support the work that had been done should there be resource issues. The officer advised Members that this may be looked into the future should the need arise for exploration.

In response to Members’ comments that the paper did not address the varying demographics of the prevalence of dementia in different parts of the borough, the Sub Committee was advised that whilst there was a higher frequency of people with the illness in some wards, dementia was significant in all wards. Dementia friendly borough is inclusive and concentrated on accessibility of services by promoting awareness with a view to improving experiences of people when they are out in the community.

Members commented that Croydon University Hospital had recently been accredited in a recent inspection for the use of ‘forget me not’ signage around the hospital for people with dementia. The Sub Committee were impressed with this innovative use of symbols to provide reassurance for people with the illness and suggested that this could be extended to shops and businesses in the community.

Members also made suggestions that could be considered in the drive to promote inclusion in the community for people suffering from dementia and their carers which included the following:

•           Third sector community groups to have a dementia champion in their organisations.

•           Dementia roadshow to promote awareness around the borough.

•           Croydon Dementia awareness week, separate to the National campaign.

•           Publication to be sent to residents on Dementia awareness with council tax bills.

•           Work with Croydon Neighbourhood Care Organisation.

•           Engagement with operators such as Fairfield and New Addington Bid.

The officer thanked the Sub Committee for their suggestions and advised they would be noted.

In response to Members’ comments that several studies earlier this year highlighted that levels of dementia were not as high as predicted in 2011 and enquired as to the reason for this, the officer stated that specific trend could not be provided but commented that the decrease in vascular dementia due to the over 65’s population living healthier lives could be a contributing factor.

The Sub Committee raised queries on what was being done to target groups that were socially isolated, those without strong networks, minority communities and cultural groups. Members were advised that there had been stakeholder engagement with the Croydon BME forum and will also be engagement with the Learning Disability Forum to address issues of social inclusion.

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Families Health and Social Care directed that the Alliance could be assisted by all Councillors with embedding dementia friendliness through taking forward information on the work that is being carried out to their wards. It was also suggested for all Councillors to attend the awareness workshops provided by the Action Alliance and Social Inclusion Coordinator. 

CONCLUSIONS

Following discussion, Members were in agreement that they welcomed the aspirations to take action on dementia and the proposed action plan to enable Croydon to become dementia friendly.

The Sub Committee recognised the need for all councillors to attend Alliance meetings as they developed.

The Sub Committee requested that officers return to provide an update on works following the Dementia Friendly Croydon launch in May 2018.