EAST Devon MP Hugo Swire has revisited the case of former spitfire pilot John Mejor in a parliamentary dementia debate. Former RAF squadron leader John Mejor, 88, who has a form of dementia, hit national headlines earlier this month when his daughter, Sal

EAST Devon MP Hugo Swire has revisited the case of former spitfire pilot John Mejor in a parliamentary dementia debate.

Former RAF squadron leader John Mejor, 88, who has a form of dementia, hit national headlines earlier this month when his daughter, Sally, was told he could no longer receive full NHS funding.

Speaking in an opposition day debate on dementia services and care for the elderly in the House of Commons on Wednesday, January 27, Mr Swire again outlined the details of his case.

Mr Swire told the House of Sally Mejor's fear that she might have to sell the family home in Foxholes Hill, Exmouth, where her elderly mother also lives, in order to pay for the local nursing home fees.

After the debate Mr Swire said he had a useful conversation with Jennie Stephens, the Interim Executive Director of Adult & Community Services at Devon County Council about the case.

"It is now clear that if the judgment goes against Mr Mejor, the family has the right to appeal and the NHS is under an obligation to meet the full cost of Mr Mejor's care during the process.

"If the appeal goes against them as well, the family will be subject to a financial assessment and asked to contribute to the �800 a week care costs if their assets, excluding their property, exceed �23,000.

"This would be on a sliding scale until their assets were reduced to �13,000.

"However, there is a concern that if Mr Mejor loses his appeal and the family insist nonetheless on his receiving the same level of care as he is currently receiving that they would then become liable for the difference between what Devon was prepared to pay and the real costs.

"In those circumstances the Mejors might be forced to realise the family's remaining asset, this being their home."

During the debate Mr Swire said he agreed with Mr Paul Cann of Help the Aged that dementia was "fast becoming the hidden epidemic of the 21st Century."

Mr Swire told the Minister of State for Care Services Phil Hope MP that in his East Devon constituency 29.5 per cent of the population was retired, against a national average for the rest of England of 17.3 per cent.