Government has no plans to support the creation of a ’dementia village’, Tynwald has been told.

Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford, replying to a written question from his predecessor Kate Beecroft, said his department had studied the feasibility of a dementia village with a provider called Belong Limited.

’Unfortunately it was found that a dedicated dementia village would not be affordable or sustainable,’ he said.

A number of criteria were used in the assessment including that there should be 30,000 target households within a 10 mile radius or 15 minute drive time.

The site, which had to be at least 1.5 hectares, had to provide for an optimum village model of six households of 12 bedrooms, plus 26 apartments - a mix of one and two bedroom.

It needed to be close to a town centre, with just a short walk to local shops and good transport connections.

Belong identified concerns about feasibility and so a financial appraisal was not undertaken, the Minister said.

He added: ’It is not our intention to progress at present.

’The department is developing a model of integrated care which includes services for people with dementia.

’This will help people’s needs to be met within or close to the communities they live and will improve outcomes for individuals within those communities.’