CARE services are “collapsing” as the number of dementia sufferers being taken to accident and emergency has soared by 64 per cent over the past five years, health critics claimed last night.
George McNamara, head of policy at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “This is very worrying. Demands on social services mean many local authorities are now only providing crisis or high-level support rather than proper care and prevention.
“This has led to a growing crisis in which emergency services are becoming default rather than a last resort. Financially this is unsustainable.”
Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham said: “Many vulnerable older people have seen home care taken away or are paying much higher charges for care.”
