I can assure you that dementia is a priority for the Government. In 2015, the Challenge on Dementia 2020 was launched, and I know that the Government remains committed to delivering this. This sets out the vision for dementia care, support, awareness, and research to be transformed by 2020. I fully support the ambition to ensure England offers the world’s best dementia care.
Progress in the care, support and treatment of people with dementia has been made, with more people receiving a diagnosis of dementia than ever before. Over 660,000 NHS staff have received dementia training with further training opportunities rolled out to all NHS staff by the end of 2018. Over 100,000 social care workers have received some form of dementia awareness training. Since 2015, new care staff have been trained to receive the Care Certificate, which equips them with the knowledge and skills to provide safe and compassionate care, including for those with dementia.
It is important to increase public awareness and understanding of dementia among the wider public to ensure that people are supported to live well with the condition and I am encouraged that there are almost 2.5 million Dementia Friends.
Research is crucial to understanding and tackling dementia, which is why the Government has doubled research spending on dementia and remains committed to maintaining the current expenditure on dementia research of at least £60 million a year through to 2020. I am also encouraged that over £83 million was spent on dementia research by the Government in 2016/17, the latest year for which figures are available, well in excess of the £60 million target.
The Government is integrating and improving health and social care to protect people at every stage of their lives. I am informed that the Government is committed to publishing a Green Paper this year, which will outline a new social care policy, which is financially sustainable, accessible, and properly integrated with the NHS.
As you may be aware health in Wales is devolved and the Welsh Governments’ action plan which was published in 2018 sets out how dementia care and support will be delivered in Wales.
Gallaf eich sicrhau bod dementia'n flaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth. Yn 2015, lansiwyd Her Dementia 2020, a gwn fod y Llywodraeth yn parhau i ymrwymo i gyflawni hyn. Mae hwn yn cynnwys y weledigaeth ar gyfer gofal, cymorth, ymwybyddiaeth ac ymchwil ym maes dementia a fydd yn cael ei thrawsnewid erbyn 2020. Rwy’n cefnogi'n llwyr yr uchelgais i sicrhau bod Lloegr yn cynnig gofal dementia gorau'r byd.
Gwnaed cynnydd o ran gofal, cymorth a thriniaeth i bobl â dementia, ac mae mwy o bobl yn cael diagnosis o ddementia nag erioed o'r blaen. Mae dros 660,000 o staff y GIG wedi derbyn hyfforddiant dementia, a bydd mwy o gyfleoedd hyfforddi wedi'u cyflwyno i holl staff y GIG erbyn diwedd 2018. Mae dros 100,000 o weithwyr gofal cymdeithasol wedi derbyn rhyw fath o hyfforddiant ymwybyddiaeth o ddementia. Ers 2015, mae staff gofal newydd wedi cael eu hyfforddi i dderbyn y Dystysgrif Gofal, sy'n rhoi iddynt y wybodaeth a'r sgiliau i ddarparu gofal diogel a thosturiol, gan gynnwys ar gyfer y rhai â dementia.
Mae'n bwysig cynyddu ymwybyddiaeth a dealltwriaeth y cyhoedd o ddementia ymhlith y cyhoedd ehangach er mwyn sicrhau bod pobl yn cael eu cefnogi i fyw'n dda gyda'r cyflwr ac rwy'n cael fy nghalonogi bod yna bron i 2.5 miliwn o Gyfeillion Dementia.
Mae ymchwil yn hanfodol i ddeall a mynd i'r afael â dementia, a dyna pam fod y Llywodraeth wedi dyblu gwariant ymchwil ar ddementia a’i fod yn parhau i ymrwymo i gynnal y gwariant presennol o £60 miliwn y flwyddyn o leiaf ar ymchwil i ddementia hyd at 2020. Mae’n galondid hefyd fod dros £83 miliwn wedi'i wario ar ymchwil i ddementia gan y Llywodraeth yn 2016/17, sef y flwyddyn ddiweddaraf y mae ffigurau ar gael ar ei chyfer, swm sydd ymhell uwchlaw'r targed o £60 miliwn.
Mae'r Llywodraeth yn integreiddio a gwella iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol i ddiogelu pobl ym mhob cam o'u bywydau. Rwy’n deall bod y Llywodraeth wedi ymrwymo i gyhoeddi Papur Gwyrdd eleni, a fydd yn amlinellu polisi gofal cymdeithasol newydd, sy'n gynaliadwy yn ariannol, yn hygyrch ac wedi'i integreiddio'n briodol â'r GIG.
Fel y gwyddoch, mae iechyd yng Nghymru wedi'i ddatganoli ac mae cynllun gweithredu Llywodraeth Cymru, a gyhoeddwyd yn 2018, yn nodi sut y bydd gofal a chymorth dementia'n cael eu darparu yng Nghymru.