Care provider raises concerns over dementia patient placements in north Wales

Dementia patients in north Wales are spending longer in hospital – or being moved miles from home – despite local care beds being available.

Now the provider running those beds is calling for urgent action.

Meddyg Care Group, which operates specialist dementia nursing homes in Criccieth and Porthmadog, says families are actively requesting places at its new Rhyl facility.

Capacity exists, yet placements are not being progressed, resulting in prolonged hospital stays and, in some cases, individuals being placed in care settings far from their local communities.

The company has written formally to the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales and Welsh Government ministers, citing specific concerns about how funded nursing care (FNC) and continuing healthcare (CHC) placements are being commissioned by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB).

Kevin Edwards, Managing Director of Meddyg Care Group, said: “We have invested significantly in specialist dementia nursing provision in North Wales precisely because we know the demand is there.

“What we are now seeing is a disconnect between that demand, the capacity we have in place, and the commissioning decisions being made on the ground.

“Welsh Government policy is clear on the importance of choice and care closer to home. We would welcome a conversation about how commissioning practice can better reflect those principles – because at the moment, some individuals and families are not experiencing the system that policy intends.”

Meddyg Care employs more than 330 staff and provides approximately 170 nursing and dementia beds across its three homes, alongside more than 6,000 hours of domiciliary care each month.

Its recently developed 35-bed specialist dementia unit in Rhyl was built specifically to address growing demand for high-quality, locally based provision.

The concerns come against a backdrop of sustained pressure on hospital capacity across north Wales, where delayed discharges continue to affect patient flow.

Meddyg Care argues that making better use of available local placements could play a meaningful role in easing those pressures.

Come together

Mr Edwards urged decision makers to “come together on the issue” and added: “When discharge pathways work well – when people move into the right setting at the right time, close to their families – it delivers better outcomes for patients and reduces pressure on the wider health system. We are keen to work with BCUHB and Welsh Government to make that happen more consistently.”

The provider is calling for a review of commissioning flexibility and improved partnership working to ensure that available local capacity is utilised effectively and that placement decisions align with both clinical needs and the wishes of individuals and their families.

“We are not raising these concerns to be difficult, we just hope common sense will prevail,” said Mr Edwards.

“We are raising them because we believe there is a genuine opportunity to improve outcomes for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities — and because we think the system, with the right focus, can do better.”

Meddyg Care has invited a formal response from both BCUHB and Welsh Government and says it remains committed to constructive engagement to improve care pathways across the region.

When asked for a response, the Welsh Government said:“We recognise that dementia is a significant health and social care issue which impacts not only on those living with dementia, but their families, friends and carers too.

“Our discharge guidance makes clear that health and social care providers should work with individuals, their families and carers to agree suitable arrangements for leaving hospital once it is safe.

“The support needed varies, and decisions should reflect local service availability and the person’s wishes, while ensuring services can meet their ongoing needs.”