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Dementia Services

Madam Deputy Speaker, I was talking about dementia research when I was intervened on, but I take your guidance. On the use of anti-psychotic drugs, I can confirm to the House that over-prescription of such drugs is unacceptable. The review of those drugs that I commissioned was comprehensive in taking things forward. I can confirm that the national clinical director for dementia will oversee matters, ensuring that every PCT sets targets for reducing the use of those anti-psychotic drugs. We must improve the way we look after people with dementia. It is vital that we treat people with dignity and respect. I am delighted to say that we have a social movement of more than 12,000 dignity champions taking forward—from the bottom up, not just from the top down—the needs and values of, and support for, older people. As we move towards a national care and support service, we have a clear choice. On the one hand, we could retreat to the traditional views of care, and the old models and assumptions about the elderly, and to lumping older people into the same old box, not treating them as individuals, offering no alternative but to go into a care home, and making no real effort to keep people independent; or we could choose a different future, in which age is valued and not dismissed—