James Evans is calling for the Welsh Government to help provide more support for dementia sufferers and their families.
(Video from Senedd.tv)
(Video from Senedd.tv)
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00:00 in my constituency called Dementia Matters, and they undertake vital work with helping
00:04 patients and their families. As you are aware, my constituency is home to a growing elderly
00:09 population with average numbers of dementia patients going up year on year. But despite
00:14 the great work that Dementia Matters is doing, they are currently facing the threat of closure
00:19 due to a lack of funding. I reached out to the Paris Teaching Health Board and the Rural
00:23 Partnership Board on this matter because I was aware there was a surplus budget in their
00:27 funding this year. However, for some reason, I cannot get to the bottom of Dementia Matters
00:32 in Powys cannot access that funding. So, First Minister, I would like to ask whether you
00:37 and the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing would like to come and visit
00:40 Dementia Matters in my constituency? Also, on the second point, I am not asking for more
00:45 money, but what pressure can the Welsh Government put on the regional partnership board to make
00:50 sure that any surplus budget goes on supporting people with dementia in my constituency?
00:54 Well, Llywydd, I thank James Evans for drawing attention to the issue of Dementia Matters,
01:03 which I know does fantastic work in his constituency and more broadly. I have made some inquiries
01:11 into the issues that the Member has raised this afternoon. I cannot promise that the
01:19 local decisions will be ones that the organisation would be content with, but what I can do is
01:26 to make sure that Dementia Matters make their case directly to those who make those decisions
01:33 and have their chance to have their case heard. I've talked with a Minister earlier today.
01:40 Welsh Government officials will intervene to make sure that, if Dementia Matters fail,
01:45 they've not been able to have those conversations, they've not been able to put that case to
01:50 those who have the funding, then we will make sure that they have that opportunity.
01:57 And while I've no idea if there is any surplus money, it would be very unusual in my experience,
02:04 it is the case that, as well as the ÂŁ12 million that goes to support the Dementia Action Plan
02:10 directly, in the first year of the regional investment fund, ÂŁ26.5 million went to the
02:19 third sector and analogous organisations, and there's a commitment to spend 20% of the
02:24 fund in that way. I want to make sure Dementia Matters has its opportunity to make its case
02:31 for part of that funding. After that, the decisions are made quite properly elsewhere.
02:37 We'll make sure that that opportunity is delivered to them.