Dementia in the private housing sector: understanding partnership roles at local level

Since 1997, the public health agenda has encouraged partnerships jointly implementing evidence-based interventions at the local level that maximise health gain to communities. Organisationally, partnerships have developed apace, with (continuing) local strategic partnerships and (new) local area agreements now providing multi-organisational work in addressing health inequalities at their most acute. The Department of Health (DH) has tended to take the lead in these new partnerships, although the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) — which oversees public and private sector housing stock — is addressing healthy housing and regeneration. Both the DH and DCLG policies have pivotal roles to play in ensuring that communities are increasingly involved in local strategies and interventions, although the extent to which these partnerships are successful for some communities — such as for those people experiencing dementia — remains unclear. The organisational arrangements for housing and health interventions are split across two government departments, the DH and the DCLG, which may present some dilemmas in delivering integrated health and private sector housing policies. This paper seeks to explore current DH and DCLG policies in the context of enhanced interventions in private sector housing, the majority UK tenure, and to assess the range of interventions and assistance options available for those suffering dementia and their carers. It attempts to show the new roles of the organisations involved and how these can be more closely aligned in addressing the unique housing and support needs of those suffering dementia.