A DESPERATE shortage of nursing home places - combined with spiralling rates of dementia - is creating a perfect storm of problems for health bosses across Cumbria.

Those at the helm of health and care services claim a chronic shortage of qualified staff is forcing some nursing homes to de-register themselves to residential care only.

And massive financial deficits facing the NHS mean there is no hope of securing public funding for specialist new care homes in the future, they add.

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The concerns come as work continues on the new £7 million Parkview Gardens Care Home which is set to provide 60 beds for dementia patients when it opens this autumn - four years later than planned.

But a number of the 25 available beds currently provided by Cumbria Care in the town have been blocked from use for some time while upgrade work has been carried out - leaving few available places for those in need.

Barrow mental health campaigner Michael Cassells said the shortage of beds was resulting in families being pulled apart when their loved ones were moved out of county.

In an open letter on the issue to health bosses, he said: "Families and carers have health and financial concerns that affect their ability to travel.

"Couples who have grown old together are dealing with the impact of dementia now face months of separation.

"Each week there are at least 30 older people in Furness General and Dane Garth whose discharge is delayed because of lack of local provision.

"Often these delays are resolved by

collaboration between NHS, social care and local charities but many are placed miles away."

Last month the Evening Mail revealed at least 35 people have been sent outside of the county over the past three years, with two being placed 310 miles away in Sidcup, Kent, one to Norwich, at least 266 miles away, one to Annan, in Scotland, and eight to the North East.

RELATED ARTICLE: Families pulled apart to locate specialist dementia care

Care and support are provided to people with dementia to help them live independently in their own homes for as long as possible.

When the condition enters the advanced stages, people are assessed by mental health experts so a bespoke continuing health care plan can be created.

If someone is deemed to need nursing home care, an available place must be located, with means testing - based on how much someone has in savings or property - used to determine who should foot the bill.

But the number of beds available is restricted by what the private sector can offer - as many nursing homes are run as independent businesses, Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group's mental health boss, Janice Horrocks said.

"We do have this provision in Cumbria but at times we don't have enough of it and that is worsened by the workforce issue.

"We know some homes have available beds but not enough staff so they either can't fill them or they opt to de-register altogether to residential care instead.

"Unfortunately, there just isn't the available capital funding within the NHS because of the deficit to build something purpose built."

READ MORE: Impressive aerial image shows Barrow care home nearing completion