By Ellis Moore
St Helens Borough Council has started developing a new dementia strategy that will support local people living with dementia across the borough, including Newton-le-Willows.
Cllr Andy Bowden, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, recently visited the Beacon Building in St Helens to meet with the Alzheimer’s Society and hear directly from people affected by dementia. Service users and family members shared their experiences, which will help shape the council’s new strategy.
The Alzheimer’s Society, commissioned by St Helens Borough Council to provide dementia support services, runs post-diagnostic courses, groups and one-to-one guidance across communities in the borough. Currently, the council supports 234 residents every day with cognitive and memory needs.
Cllr Andy Bowden said: “Meeting with people who are living with dementia and their families is absolutely vital as we develop this new strategy. Their experiences will help us shape services that are compassionate, effective and focused on what really matters to residents. The more voices that are heard and reflected in the strategy, the better it will be at meeting people’s needs and we will listen.”
Hayley Winstanley, Alzheimer’s Society Local Service Manager, said: “The best approach is to listen to the experiences of people with lived experience from the very beginning. This will steer the strategy in the right direction to make sure it is meaningful and shaped around what matters most to people in St Helens who are affected by dementia.”
The strategy aims to strengthen the council’s approach to prevention, onset and management of dementia, whilst improving support for carers. The council is working with the Alzheimer’s Society to co-deliver the Dementia Partnership Board, ensuring people with lived experience can help shape the strategy.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, an estimated 982,000 people are currently living with dementia in the UK. The new dementia strategy will be part of St Helens Borough Council’s adult social care commitment, with the approved budget for 2025/26 standing at just under £70 million.