Rachel Gilmour, the Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton and Minehead, has called on the government to introduce a “rural premium” designed to attract and retain more dementia carers in Somerset’s rural communities. Speaking in a parliamentary debate on June 3, Gilmour highlighted the unique hardships faced by dementia patients and their families in rural areas, drawing from her personal experience with her mother’s battle against the disease.
Gilmour emphasized that Somerset, with an estimated 1,877 dementia sufferers—higher than the national average—faces acute difficulties due to limited care provision and transport barriers. “The impact of dementia is felt more deeply in rural regions,” she noted, stressing that isolation is intensified when adequate support is unavailable.
With dementia diagnoses projected to exceed one million by 2030 and rise further in coming decades, Gilmour urged the government to prioritize expanding the care workforce through comprehensive training, upskilling, and retention initiatives. She called increased remuneration for carers “an investment in our future” and advocated for statutory carers’ leave and guaranteed respite breaks for unpaid caregivers.
READ MORE: National Trust Launches Takeaway Café in Historic Stourhead Stableyard
READ MORE: Mary Berry’s 5-Ingredient Caesar Salad: A Clever Crunch from Kitchen Scraps
Recounting her family’s experience, Gilmour praised the dedication of her mother’s Romanian carer, underscoring the vital human element in dementia care. “While technology and immigration play roles in addressing workforce shortages, they cannot replace the compassion and emotional intelligence that human carers provide,” she said.
In light of the recent government spending review, Gilmour welcomed additional NHS funding for dementia research but insisted that rural areas require a focused strategy. She urged expanding medical and nursing school placements in the South West to cultivate homegrown talent and reduce reliance on immigration.
“Our rural and coastal communities, like Tiverton and Minehead, have older populations with heightened health and care needs. Without a government-supported rural premium, these areas risk being left behind,” Gilmour warned.
Highlighting the importance of modernizing care through artificial intelligence and innovative technology, she maintained that these tools could never fully substitute for human connection. Gilmour concluded by calling for policies that create fairer tax systems and sustain investment in health and care sectors, ensuring Somerset’s most vulnerable receive the support they deserve.