A DEMENTIA sufferer placed in a care home near Blackpool because there are no beds for him in Cumbria has missed vital cancer checks because of his out of county location.

Dalton resident Michael Beer, 69, was first moved to the Alexandra Nursing Home in Poulton-le-Fylde six months ago for respite care.

But his partner, Kath Cullen, says he has since missed out on regular checks for prostate cancer after suffering with the disease several years ago because he is living so far away from his registered GP practice.

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She has also had to arrange for a taxi to take him to to a private dentist and on one occasion the nearby hospital's A&E department after she arrived at the home to find he needed medical help.

Ms Cullen, 70, who makes the 140 mile round trip from her Lancaster Street home to visit Mr Beer every other day, is now losing hope of him returning to Furness after finding there is a shortage of beds for patients with dementia across the area.

"I'm so worried about travelling so far with the winter coming.

"If he was nearer I could visit every day. But when I ring homes in Barrow they either haven't got any spaces, or if they have, they are not allowed to fill them.

"Michael is one of four people from Barrow down there which shows this is a real problem.

"It's an awful situation."

Former Mencap carer Mr Beer was diagnosed with dementia six years ago.

The keen walker and fell runner had been fit and active - indulging in his passion for the outdoors on a daily basis since the start of his retirement.

But his degenerative condition, which affects the brain, has left him barely able to communicate and he can no longer look after himself.

NHS bosses, along with those at the helm of adult social care in Cumbria, say there are no available places in the south of the county at the moment - though they hope to bring Mr Beer back to the area once a bed is secured.

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Helen King, director of Nursing and quality for the NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "We are very sorry that this situation is causing undue stress.

"There are no specialist nursing beds available in south Cumbria or the Morecambe Bay area for the type of specialist nursing that best meets Mr Beer’s needs.

"We are keen to bring him back to south Cumbria but can’t do that until an appropriate placement comes available.

"When patients are placed out of county they are registered with a local GP in the area of the placement, who will then follow up any other care or treatment required.

"The Cumbria Community Psychiatric Nursing (CPN) Case Manager for Mr Beer has visited him and his partner in Blackpool to maintain continuity of care management."

A new Cumbria County Council funded £7 million, 60-bedded nursing home to provide specialist care for people with dementia - Park View Gardens - is expected to open in Barrow shortly.

It will replace four existing homes providing around 70 beds in the town to include Rock Lea, Bevan House, West Point House and George Basterfield House.

READ MORE: New process launched to make dementia diagnosis four times faster