Charter of rights for people with dementia in Scotland launched

A charter of rights to empower people with dementia and their carers in Scotland is being launched by MSPs today.

The charter says people with dementia and their carers have the right to live as independently as possible and to participate fully in decisions about care, and that public bodies, charities and private organisations should be held to account for the “respect, protection and fulfilment of their human rights”.

It has been produced by the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group on Alzheimer’s with the input of 500 people, including service users, carers and professionals.

Charter necessary to tackle stigma

The cross-party group said a charter was necessary to tackle the stigma and discrimination facing people with dementia, and the exclusion of carers from decisions about care.

The group’s convenor, Labour MSP Irene Oldfather, and Alzheimer Scotland’s chief executive, Henry Simmons, called on the Scottish government to put the charter at the heart of its forthcoming dementia strategy.

• Tell us what you think about the charter on CareSpace.

Related articles

Alzheimer Scotland wants £15m a year for dementia