Sep 22 - GSD: Embrace Dementia Awareness And Open New Facility “Once And For All”
The GSD notes the recent Alzheimer’s and Dementia Awareness Day in Gibraltar and the fact that the ‘Gibraltar Alzheimer’s and Dementia Society’ have been raising awareness all week to better inform the public of the impact this illness brings, to try and dispel some of the stigma surrounding it, how every year it affects more and more people and that the society has asked for Government to make Dementia a priority in the political agenda.
However, the party says, despite a commitment from Government to develop a Gibraltar Dementia Strategy Plan in order to address the escalating disease crisis locally, announced two years ago, “there are still no concrete plans in place.” Along with the Mental Health facility at the former Royal Naval Hospital site, the GSD says it is also waiting “with bated breath” for the opening of the new Alzheimer and Dementia facility. A facility, which it says had had £12.1m spent on converting the site and was nearly ready to open when this Government took the project over more than two and a half years ago. For 16 months, says the Opposition, the site ceased any activity and now, after another £17.5m to convert the conversion, the two facilities are ready.
“Yet,” says a statement from the party, “neither facility is open,” adding that the Government should “come out publicly” to say what the delay is, “or perhaps we must be awaiting the completion of the Dementia Day Care Centre, which is not a new concept, with more funding needed for that, before the site is opened.”
Notwithstanding what the GSD terms as “the spending spree of this Government,” there is still, it says, no provision in this year’s Budget for extra staffing to man the site, despite training. Dates for these new facilities, first 18 months ago, then a year ago, then six months ago, were all expected opening dates, according to the Opposition.
Isobel Ellul-Hammond asks: “When will these two facilities finally open and at what final cost? This year’s Budget includes no funding for the running and manning of the new services, does this mean we may need to wait another year before the facilities fully open? The Government has produced no clear plan as to how the services will be run and costs continue to spiral with the Care Agency overspending last year by nearly 20% and yet these vital facilities remain closed. On the eve of Alzheimer’s and Dementia Awareness Day the community wants answers and solutions now, not a month before a General Election.”
