ALZHEIMER’S fund-raisers in Guernsey have welcomed a watchdog report criticising a lack of quality dementia care in the UK. They said that it showed that the island’s Maison Million Appeal, to help raise money for the new care unit, Maison de Quetteville, was fulfilling a big need and helping to keep dementia care a priority.

The report by the National Audit Office said the UK lagged behind other European countries in terms of care and needed to address current failings in order to cope with future demands.

It also called for more specialist services to be set up.

The Maison de Quetteville project, which will provide a 29-bed specialist unit for the care of dementia and Alzheimer’s suffers and will be connected to Maison L’Aumone, is the sort of facility that the UK needs more of, according to the report.

Paul Le Boutillier, chairman of Maison L’Aumone, said Guernsey was heading in the right direction.

‘There is a lot of good work that is going on with regard to Alzheimer’s care in the island at the moment.

‘We are anxious to be one step ahead and I think we are doing that by preparing for the increase in cases of dementia sufferers.

‘I believe it is very important to continue making provisions. The establishment of Maison de Quetteville will go some way to supporting the needs of the island.’

The NAO report said that ‘for too long dementia has not been treated as a high priority’ in the UK and Mr Le Boutillier said Guernsey must increase the amount of care

available for sufferers.

‘We need to continue to make care of Alzheimer’s sufferers a priority in Guernsey.’

Jurat Mike Tanguy, chairman of the Guernsey branch of the Alzheimer’s Society, agreed that the care of such sufferers was high on the agenda.

‘There is no doubt that the care of sufferers is regarded as a priority in Guernsey,’ he said.

‘I think it is very sad that the UK have not seen fit to pursue the path that we have. It’s commendable that the Health Department also see it as a priority for Guernsey.’

Health minister Peter Roffey said the department had made large investments into dementia care in recent years.

‘It really is a priority for us and will continue to be so,’ he said.

‘The biggest investment we have made is the £6m. spend on the specialist wing at the hospital.’

He added: ‘I think we compare well with the UK but we are not going to be complacent. There are lots of things we want to do but cannot because of budget constraints. We are aware that carers are put under a lot of pressure and we would like to be able to provide more respite care.’