'We can't meet their needs': Complex dementia patients living on wards for years

ITV News can reveal that several complex dementia patients are stuck living in wards because they have nowhere else to go.

As of October 2024, six people in the general hospital are fit to leave but are unable to because there is nowhere on the island that will give them specialist care for complex dementia.

Chief Executive of My Voice, an independent advocate for mental health in Jersey, Patricia Winchester says: "What we have is people who are living in a clinical environment for months and years on end, it's not homely, it doesn’t have their personal belongings.

"It's not that the wards are not trying to place them but it is when they are assessed by care homes, they say we can't take on this risk as we can't meet their needs.

"So, constant conversations are going on - but there just aren't enough places."

Patricia states patients have been waiting to move for years:

Currently. the six people in the hospital may wait for between four to five months on a medical ward because they may have behaviours that are more physically or verbally challenging for mainstream care homes.

Within the mental health facilities at St Saviour, there are an additional six people with complex dementia in Beech Ward and I've been told there are another one or two people in Cedar Ward.

All need specialist dementia care, but they have been stuck there for a lot longer, with one person staying there for more than two years.

Health Minister, Chris Bown the interim Chief Officer for Health and Andy Weir the Director of Mental Health agreed that a clinical setting is not the right place for these people.

There is evidence that keeping people on a general medical ward for longer than they need to is detrimental to both their physical and mental health.

Andy Weir says that a solution to this is now a priority - adding that we can't carry on as we are.

He says: "Clearly we can't build a nursing and staff a nursing home tomorrow, but we have to decide whether or not the state provides nursing care provision for more complex needs with dementia if we're not we have to make sure that capacity increases quickly."

If you are one of the families affected by this issue, we would like to hear your story. Please do contact us either by emailing channelnews@itv.com or calling us on 01534 480580.

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