Consultation on the future of dementia care

Health chiefs are seeking the public’s view 

Previously there was hospital provision at the Manthorpe ward in Grantham, but this was closed on a temporary basis in April 2020 during the pandemic,

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has since been engaging with patients, staff, partners and the public on possible ways to deliver intensive support and hospital care for people living with dementia in the future.

As the pandemic impacted longer than expected, the Trust has been piloting a new hospital at home approach and has spent the last few years evaluating its impact and two options for delivering services have been developed.

• Option 1: Reopen Manthorpe Ward as an 18 bedded dementia inpatient service and discontinue the Dementia Home Treatment Team.
• Option 2: Permanently close Manthorpe Ward and transition from a pilot to a permanent Dementia Home Treatment Team service – the Trust’s preferred route.

Paula Jelly, Director of Operations for Older People and Frailty services at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said:

“We’ve seen a really positive impact from the introduction of the dementia home treatment service, and many people who would have previously been admitted into hospital are now able to be cared for in their own homes.

“People have been telling in our engagement over the last few years that they would prefer their loved ones to be cared for away from hospital as much as possible. We also know that going into hospital when someone is living with dementia can have a negative impact on their general health and wellbeing.

“The dementia home treatment service has been able to offer an intensive level of community support not previously available, by visiting someone’s home several times a day and supporting the carer with a range of tools and techniques to manage difficult behaviours and symptoms.

“Hospital care is still available at Langworth ward in Lincoln, should people need it, but what we have found is less and less people have needed to go into hospital as a result of the additional home support.”

The consultation exercise will run until May 23, 2025 and people can contribute by an online or paper-based survey, or by attending one of the public information events about the proposed changes. The team will also be visiting a number of groups and organisations across the county who support people living with dementia to have their say.

People can find out more about the consultation and where and when events will take place at www.lpft.nhs.uk/dementia-consultation