New support for dementia victims

More than £200,000 has been awarded to Oxfordshire County Council to support people with dementia in the county.

The authority has been chosen as part of a new scheme to provide tailored help and advice to those diagnosed with the condition.

Dementia advisors will be based in GP surgeries across the county.

The county will work in partnership with the Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust and the Alzheimer's Society to deliver services.

Oxfordshire County Council was one of 22 authorities to be selected.

Personal contact

Cllr Jim Couchman, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "This puts us in a strong position to continue to improve services for people with dementia in Oxfordshire."

The council will receive £207,000 over two years from central government.

Helen Beaumont from the Oxfordshire-based Clive Project, which supports people with dementia, said she welcomed the move: "I think advisors that can be accessed through GPs' services is an excellent idea.

"There's a lot of information available on the internet, but not everybody's happy accessing that and sometimes people want to talk to somebody personally."