By Carole Dennett
The issue of Island dementia patients being moved to care homes on the mainland – as recently highlighted by the IW Observer – was raised in Parliament this week by West Wight MP Richard Quigley. Speaking in his first Adjournment debate on Tuesday, he warned that vulnerable residents were being “ripped away from their home” because the Island no longer has enough specialist dementia beds to meet demand.
Mr Quigley said the situation had “resonated deeply” with Islanders, describing cases where families feared their loved ones could be sent to placements as far away as Horsham or Southampton. He highlighted the recent closure of three Island care homes, which displaced 44 residents, with 10 already moved to mainland facilities. One family, he said, had been told they could face a £500‑a‑day charge if they refused an out‑of‑area placement.
He argued that the Island’s geography, the lack of a dedicated long‑term NHS dementia ward and under‑funded care contracts meant families were being separated in ways that “would simply not happen elsewhere”. He urged ministers to ensure funding uplifts reached frontline providers and called for the Island to be used as a pilot area for national dementia reforms.
Responding for the Government, Health Minister Preet Kaur Gill did not offer any comfort that the issue would be resolved quickly, but said she recognised the distress caused when people with dementia were moved away from familiar surroundings. She acknowledged the particular pressures faced by isolated areas such as the Isle of Wight adding that a new policy framework is due to be published by the end of the year.
After the debate, Mr Quigley pledged to continue working with local providers, the IW Council and ministers to secure a humane and sustainable solution, making clear he “will not stop until the Island’s unique circumstances are fully recognised” in social care policy and funding.
