INVERCLYDE has the highest rate of deaths from dementia in the country over the last five years, according to figures published today.

Last year alone 111 local people died as a result of the degenerative illness which impacts on memory, language, and physical abilities and is commonly associated with old age.

This leaves the region with an average rate of 148.8 deaths per 100,000 of the population, the highest in Scotland along with Falkirk. It brings the total deaths locally since 2019 to 615.

Inverclyde Council leader Stephen McCabe admitted that while they were working hard to support people living with the condition, there was unlikely to be new funding for services as budgets get cut.

He said: "Dementia is like cancer in that it is an illness that will impact on almost every single family. My own mum had signs of dementia before she passed away.

"These figures certainly do not come as surprise.

"It is a positive that people are living longer but it means that there are more people being diagnosed with dementia later in life.

"I think we do a reasonable job of supporting people living with dementia and their carers."

But he warned that budget cuts mean that funding for services are increasingly stretched, Councillor McCabe added: "We saw recently that Inverclyde Health and Social Care have had to find over £5million pounds worth of savings.

"We have great partnerships with the third sector and voluntary organisations who support people with dementia. But they also have to be funded and the council has less and less money to support them."

Inverclyde also had the second highest rate of deaths in the year 2023, with only Clackmannanshire ranking higher, using the preferred method of comparison, the aged-standardised mortality, which takes population and age structure into account.

People living in deprived areas like Inverclyde are three times more likely to die from dementia than those in the most affluent parts of the country.

The council leader says that it is important that the council continues to prioritise initiatives like making Inverclyde a dementia friendly authority.

National charities including Age Concern are calling on the Scottish Government to continue with their dementia strategy and delivery plans.