LESS than half of people affected by dementia feel care staff have a good understanding of the condition, an Alzheimer’s Society survey reveals.

The worrying finding comes as the charity, together with a cross-party group of MPs and people affected by dementia, calls on the Government to urgently address the social care workforce crisis.

Social care job vacancies in the UK have hit a record 165,000, including 14,000 in Yorkshire and Humber. That’s an increase of 4,900 - 54.2 per cent - since 2020/21.

According to Skills For Care, only 49 per cent of those employed in Yorkshire and Humber have a relevant social care qualification.

The group is urging the Government to prioritise the social care workforce, providing better pay, career progression and mandatory dementia training to ensure people with dementia can live the lives they want to.  

With the number of people living with dementia in the UK set to rise to 1.6 million by 2040, from 900,000 today, including more than 76,000 in Yorkshire and Humber, pressures on the social care system are set to grow even further.  

Alzheimer’s Society said it was critical to create a workforce now which could deliver the care people with dementia need.