PEST Analysis of Dementia Care in Tower Hamlet, London

This PEST analysis examines the political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological factors influencing the viability of a respite care home for dementia patients in Tower Hamlet, London. The analysis highlights the challenges and opportunities presented by the borough's unique demographics, economic conditions, and cultural diversity. It also explores the potential impact of technological advancements on dementia care and identifies key recommendations for Dementia UK to successfully implement its respite care home initiative.

PEST ANALYSIS
Contents
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................1
PEST ANALYSIS.......................................................................................................................................2
POLITICAL................................................................................................................................................2
ECONOMIC................................................................................................................................................2
SOCIO-CULTURAL..................................................................................................................................2
TECHNOLOGY..........................................................................................................................................2
POLITICAL FACTORS-........................................................................................................................3
ECONOMIC FACTORS-........................................................................................................................4
SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS-...........................................................................................................5
TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS-...........................................................................................................6
RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................10
1

INTRODUCTION
Dementia is a disorder of the brain that is characterized by mental disabilities due to brain damage and
mental disability that results in personality changes, memory disturbances, and impaired reasoning.
Dementia results in the following symptoms:
• Difficulty in remembering important details, name, address, etc
• Though slowness
• Difficulty in concentration
• Behavioural changes and mood disorders
• Confusion
• Difficulty in walking and maintaining balance
The estimated population that is believed to be suffering from dementia in the UK is about 850,000. This
population is supposed to increase to over a million by 2025 and more than a million by 2051. There is a
surge in the total number of individuals who are being affected with dementia and this is a clear
indication of the unsuccessful attempts made to introduce public health policies and changes that are
driven by the ageing. There also exists impeccable financial impact of dementia on the country's overall
financial growth (Bhui, et al. 2015). Dementia costs on an average of about 26.3 billion Euros out of
which the NHS shares about 4.3 billion Euros of the total cost. The social care services contribute a total
of 10.3 billion Euros and the rest of the amount is paid by the patients and their families.
Based on this understanding, Dementia UK would like to introduce a respite care home for the service
users and their families residing in London. Every service user is provided accommodation for about 7
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days where they are assisted with the social and personal activities that will promote their independence
and self-care ability (Crowley, et al. 2018). To validate the proposal and the viability of such an approach,
a PEST (Political, Economic, Socio-cultural and Technological) test is conducted which will identify the
impact of the existing environmental factors that can influence the outcome of this approach. Therefore
the following assignment aims to analyze the existing environmental factors by conducting a PEST
analysis in the Hamlet borough area of London.
PEST ANALYSIS
This is an analysis of the external environment and the major factors that are beyond the control of the
agency, firm or healthcare. At times, these factors present as threats and therefore the term ‘Pest’ analysis
is referred for understanding the impact of external factors on the policy and its attributes. At times,
however, this also creates an opportunity for establishing positive reforms and making relevant changes in
the community. The total number of factors that exist in any environment is unlimited and therefore all
those factors will have to be considered before planning the execution of any policy.
POLITICAL ECONOMIC SOCIO-CULTURAL TECHNOLOGY
 Political control
 Regulating policies
 Pricing of the
amenities
 Safety regulations
 Political frameworks
 Unemployment rate
 The existing and
forecasted inflation
rate
 Per capita Growth rate
 Poor availability of
basic life support
services
 Availability of the
patients from different
cultural background
 Poor educational
status
 Social lifestyle and
fringes
 Demographics
 Cultural awareness
 An increase in the
technological
advancements
 New products being
used
 Innovative thinking
approach
 Encouragement
towards the
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 A high count of labour
population working at
low wages
technologically sound
research
 Enhancement of
patient satisfaction
POLITICAL FACTORS-
From the above statistics, it is obvious that dementia remains an existing challenge for the overall growth
of the country which cannot be overlooked. The count of dementia is especially high in the London
borough areas where there is a significant count of the population who are affected with dementia and
lack the appropriate care and counseling required for their health and well-being. The political factors that
govern the dementia care for patients living with this chronic disease in the Tower Hamlet borough have
to be explored. Although the count of individuals living in the Hamlet borough who are suffering from
dementia is approximately 0.38 percent of the total population that has an accountability of approximately
600 individuals, yet the disease requires measures that are identified according to the patient's needs. The
government structure and policies of the Borough are flexible enough to promote patient-centric care and
the NHS covers all the primary healthcare services in the area including the acute hospital care and
community care where services such as maternal health and mental health services are provided (Dewing
and Dijk, 2016). A Joint Understanding Needs Assessment has been undertaken in the area to identify the
health inequalities and improve the health and well-being of the residents living in the area. Anchor’s Silk
Court is an example of the specialized care homes that offer services catered for individuals living with
dementia.
Despite these reforms and healthcare policies there still exist services that are not well oriented and are
directly catered as per the needs of the patients. This is the case of dementia is effective for services such
as assisting them with their daily life tasks which can make them independent and encourage them to
perform their routine tasks without much assistance. Therefore there exists a fair scope for Dementia UK
to introduce respite care home for such patients where they can stay for a week and learn the methods
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which can facilitate them to perform their tasks without depending on anyone such as brushing, bathing,
dressing, combing, etc. (England, N.H.S., 2015). This would also assist them to develop themselves
towards social involvement and would encourage them to move forward in their lives with an aim. This
would not only give them an identity but would also help them to develop their communication skills and
share their feelings and needs.
ECONOMIC FACTORS-
There is a significant impact of the respite care home on the financial structure of the borough and the
nation. Therefore setup of the respite care home would have a financial impact on the nation’s growth.
However, as per the statistics, the individuals who are living in the Hamlet borough consist of poor people
and the immigrants who got accommodated in the borough since the late 19th century. There is a
significant count of individuals who are either suffering from some form of ailment or are criminals in the
borough. Also, there is overcrowding in the area which leads to lack of job opportunities that can affect
the basic needs of the people (Martin, et al. 2014). The individuals who are suffering from an ailment
such as dementia face difficulty in getting adequate support since they have major financial constraints
due to which healthcare always is taken as a secondary obligation.
Therefore in such case, the respite home suggested by the Dementia UK would be a relaxation for the
majority of the population and their families during which the patients can stay and their loved ones can
concentrate only on their health. This gives a break from the tedious and hectic daily schedule which also
assures the patient’s family about the appropriate care that has been taken by the Admiral nurse at the
respite home. Although the Borough hosts the London’s topmost financial businesses it is also a land
housing the maximum number of unemployed individuals in London and long-term illness and premature
death. The 2015 Deprivation analysis at the Tower Hamlet borough represents that the deprivation factor
has reduced however there still remains a significant count of individuals who are deprived of basic
amenities such as food, clothing, and shelter. This necessitates the requirement for additional funds and
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establishment of small-scale and large-scale industries that can employ the individuals and help them with
their basic care. This venture of Dementia UK can be made successful by raising the extra funds through
social agencies and voluntary support (McKay, et al. 2014). NHS also provides the nursing care that is
received at the nursing home and in certain parts of the country, NHS provides Admiral Nurses that are
working in partnership with charity Dementia UK. The Admiral Nurses are support specialists who
provide the required guidance and practical assistance on daily life services and emotional support. There
should also be the provision of services that are based on individuals’ insurance and the cost of the
provided services are initiated on the income group of the patient’s and their family.
SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS-
Socio-cultural factors also play an important role in the development of the organization and there exists a
dependence on the acceptance of these services by the individuals who are residing in the borough.
Dementia is a disease which is not only difficult to understand and express but is also difficult to admit.
In such scenarios, the patients are often found to shrug from the accepting the treatment and deviate from
the assistance provided. Further, the Tower Hamlet borough is a land of mixed cultural community where
the individuals residing have different cultural beliefs and ethnic identity. Tower Hamlet is considered to
be racially the most diverse borough across the area. It is therefore important for the respite care home to
identify the cultural beliefs and needs of such patients in order to get their acceptance and change their
thoughts about the respite care home (Prince, et al. 2013). There will be cultural groups who will have a
negative thought about the respite care and will not accept the treatments. Also, the educational status of
the land is not extremely well-sought and there are individuals who are not well-aware about their health
conditions. The lack of educational awareness and cultural disbeliefs are one of the major causes for the
lesser interest shown by the individuals towards the dementia care.
In order to get better response and acceptance towards the initiative taken by Dementia UK, the
traditional beliefs and cultural values of each group must be taken care of while addressing this concern.
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They should also be assisted with anti-discriminatory and integrative approaches that can promote patient
satisfaction and better services. Dementia UK is a leading healthcare organization which offers several
facilities and services for the dementia patients across the UK. The services that are provided here include
but are not limited to physiotherapy, optometry, podiatry, audiology, mobility care and speech and
language therapy (Prince, et al. 2014). There should also be initiatives taken to educate the patients about
the wrong beliefs and unnecessary practices that have an adverse impact on their health which will, in
turn, promote them to be more independent and aware about their individual needs.
TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS-
Technological advancement is another crucial determinant that will impact the acceptance of such
services and approach in the Tower Hamlet region of London. The older adults are majorly facing
immediate assistance needs and such care requires technologically prompt services that can support the
living of the patients suffering from dementia. These patients are mostly unable to afford the high cost of
technological advancements that are essential for maintaining their healthcare and therefore there exists a
wide scope of those interventions which can implement low-cost based technological requisites. The
usual services that are provided by Dementia UK include a Telephone Helpline, an Outreach service,
Email support and the Required resources and support that are specifically catered by the Admiral Nurses
(Russell, et al. 2013).
The respite care home if implemented would introduce several such technological advancements and
would also be providing different aids for such patients such as walking aids, wheelchairs, language
support and hearing aids which will enable the users to live their lives independently. Healthcare would
also include patient education with the basic first aid amenities so that they are able to take the primary
care measures in case of any minor health need. This requisite can also provide 7 days of comprehensive
care with the inclusion of all the routine tasks that the patient normally does at their homes. Once the
Admiral nurse assists the patients with all such tasks for 7 days, there can be a significant improvement
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found in terms of their ability to accomplish the regular tasks by themselves. The patients can also be
assisted through the proper and correct use of the technological gadgets so that they can practice using it
for 7 days under the nurse’s supervision and then by themselves. Such training will also implement the
basic care for the patients suffering from dementia along with quality care and advanced support provided
to the patients on the basis of the new techniques that are free of cost for the dementia patients.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Although there exists a significant scope for the success of the respite care home plan of Dementia UK,
certain recommendations can even improve the estimated benefits and would encourage to draw
maximum service users towards this noble cause. The recommendations can be listed as under:
• The initial establishment of the respite care home should be in an area that is nearby for all the users
and easy to travel by them. There should be a provision of transport facility that can pick and drop the
family members of the service users and enable them to lead their lives without any much compromise in
terms of their work and family. This will not only ensure a good patient response but will also start
getting a quicker response from all the fronts such as the administrative and other government agencies
for any voluntary help.
• The place should be located and established with all the basic amenities such as canteen, water, fresh
air, and must be close to nature. This will not only provide a better healing environment for the patients
but will also establish their peace of mind. The place should be located in an area that is easily
approachable and should also accommodate approximately 200 beds for catering the growing needs of the
Borough. However, the place even after meeting all these needs should not be impacting greatly on the
financial budget of the Council.
• The services should only be established with trained staff who are well equipped with the aims and
objectives of this approach. They should have a satisfactory experience of dealing with dementia patients
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and should be motivated enough and dedicated towards the noble cause for creating the necessary impact.
The hired staff should include but must not be limited to medical professionals, Admiral nurses, support
staff, physiotherapists and counselors for ensuring the provision of adequate support (Wimo, et al. 2013).
• There must also be an establishment of grievance desk where the patients and their family members
can visit and register their issues or any lack of relevant care that is not provided to their patient. Such
kind of issues or concerns must be immediately looked upon by the managerial staff who can take
immediate decisions to implement change and release additional staff for looking after such concerns.
• The care home must play motivational stories and videos for the patients who have been benefitted
and have turned into individuals working full-time or part-time towards the development of their career.
This will not only enable the patients and their family members to identify the benefits of such integrated
and comprehensive approach but will also enable them to direct themselves towards the betterment of
their own health (England, N.H.S., 2015).
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CONCLUSION
With an increase in the number of patients suffering from dementia and the sky-reaching treatment cost,
dementia still remains a cause of major concern for all the Boroughs across the UK. The Tower Hamlet,
being one of the zones afflicted with poverty, low educational status, and unemployed individuals,
remains as an area where the respite care home can flourish and provide some necessary services for
dementia patients (Woods, et al. 2013). It is also vital for the government and social agency groups to
appropriately consider funding for such public health concerns where the population remains uneducated
about the patient’s sufferings and lacks some basic facilities that can simplify their life and ease the daily
schedule.
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