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Elderly Care Services in Cambridgeshire

Elderly Care Services in CambridgeshireAround 20% of the population in Cambridgeshire are over the age of 65, a number that is only predicted to increase over the next number of decades. Looking after our ageing population is of paramount importance, so navigating elderly care services in Cambridgeshire should be as straightforward as possible – the aim of this page is to help you out with that!

Elderly care is generally split into two sectors; healthcare and social-care. Both are of a high standard in Cambridgeshire, with both major hospitals – Addenbrooke’s Hospital and Peterborough City Hospital – performing well in Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings and Cambridgeshire County Council making improvements to social care a priority across the region.

NHS Services for the Elderly in Cambridgeshire

As previously mentioned, the healthcare service across Cambridgeshire is excellent and benefits from the talent and cutting edge research that comes out of the University of Cambridge.

Healthcare is the responsibility of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System (ICS), which is one of the largest of its kind in the country. The ICS oversees everything to do with healthcare in Cambridgeshire, including the general hospitals, GP services, mental health services and smaller local hospitals, all the way down to community care services.

Cambridgeshire's Major Hospitals

NHS services

The two major hospitals in Cambridgeshire are Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, and Peterborough City Hospital in Peterborough.

Peterborough City Hospital has two wards specifically for Elderly Medicine, on which ‘Dementia Champion’ staff are further trained to help those with Dementia. Cambridgeshire also makes use of the close proximity to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. Additionally, Cambridge has a specialist cardio-respiratory hospital, Papworth Hospital, as well as a number of smaller community and outpatient-only hospitals.

Community Healthcare in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust provides community healthcare to the almost 1 million people across Cambridgeshire. Cambridgeshire’s ICS has put a greater emphasis on care becoming more localised and the introduction of Primary Care Networks (PCNs) is the first step into helping local providers cover more healthcare responsibilities.

Although to you and I it just looks like another excuse for an acronym, it should also result in a better, more personalised and effect-approach to local healthcare, with more resources being provided closer to patient’s homes.

Finding a GP in Cambridgeshire

Use the NHS GP Directory to find your nearest GP by typing in your postcode.

Local Authority Elderly Care Services in Cambridgeshire

Health and Social care system in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire County Council is responsible for the provision of Social Care services across the whole of Cambridgeshire. Over recent years, they have been criticised for failing to adequately signpost and connect people to services, leading to a significant restructuring of their website.

Your first port of call for anything social care should be the Cambridge County Council, including care needs assessments, funding home adaptations and more. The Council do outsource aspects of social care to local charities, like Caring Together and Age UK Cambridgeshire, but for the most part it is them who will organise the social care for your family.

Visit Cambridgeshire County Council’s Social Care Section on their website.

Searching for Elderly Care Services and Care Homes in Cambridgeshire

The Cambridge County Council-operated Service Directory is a great place to start when looking for social care services near you. There are over 2,200 services listed with full contact details. You are also able to refine your search using the filters provided including Age, Accessibility, Availability, Category and more. Those in Peterborough can also use the Peterborough Information Network (PIN).

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire is an independent organisation set up to act as the voice of Cambs residents regarding the health and social care services in the county. They also provide a signposting service. Contact them to get help finding health and social services near you.

Care Homes

Use our Guide on Care Home locations in Cambridgeshire to find a suitable care home in the region.

Booking a Care Needs Assessment in Cambridgeshire

A care needs assessment is vital to access many aspects of social care, including funding for home adaptations in Cambridgeshire, home-care, care homes and, often, day care facilities. It clarifies for both you, the carer and the council how much help your family member needs and how much the council might be able to provide.

If you feel like your elderly relative may soon require more care, then it might be a good idea to ask about getting a care needs assessment, as the process can sometimes take some time.

You can find out how to go about booking a Care Needs Assessment in Cambridgeshire by using Age Space’s comprehensive guide on the subject.

Specialist Mental Health Services for the Elderly in Cambridgeshire

Mental Health Services in Cambridgeshire

For the most part, patients are referred to mental health services via their GP, so being registered is the first step in accessing these services.

In case of a mental health crisis call 111 and press option 2 for the First Response Service.

If you are in need of bereavement support services in Cambridgeshire visit our page on this topic. For additional Elderly Mental Health Services follow the links below:

Home Care in Cambridgeshire

Home Care, or Domiciliary Care is professional care provided in the comfort of your own home. These services can allow your elderly relative to maintain the independence of living at home, whilst giving you the peace of mind that theyโ€™re being taken care of.

You can use Age Spaceโ€™s own Home Care Directory to look for suitable home care thatโ€™s in your area: