MORE people with dementia will be able to have family members with them overnight in Glasgow's hospitals under new plans.

Discussions are underway to double the number of beds that will allow spouses and other relatives to stay with loved ones through the night.

Lanarkshire has led the way in supporting an English-driven campaign which operates an 24-hour 'open door' policy for close family to help care for loved ones.

Wishaw General was the first hospital in Scotland to adopt Johns Campaign in 2014, which gives dementia patients the right to have relatives with them in hospital, at any time.

It was launched by Nicci Gerrard after the death of her father John, who she says entered hospital "articulate and able" but came out a "broken man" because he was left languishing alone with little contact with his family.

Dementia experts in Glasgow say all Scottish hospitals should already been offering an open visiting policy for families affected by dementia because the concept is entrenched in the Scottish Government's second dementia strategy.

One of the key directives is that families should be 'equal partners' in care in hospitals and other care settings.

Carers and patients spoke about their experiences of caring for relatives in hospital at the first Scottish conference to promote the campaign, which was held in Hamilton.

Sandra Shields, Alzheimer's Scotland Dementia Nurse Consultant for NHSGGC, said: "It's a brilliant campaign but Scotland doesn't really need it because it's entrenched in the second dementia strategy.

"We have the capacity to do it in all of our hospitals.

"I'm not saying there is a bed for everyone all of the time but we are going to commission more.

"We have 30 fold down beds and and we are about to commission 30 more."

Julia Jones, co-founder of John's Campaign, said: "If your child is in hospital you would expect to be involved.

"When the people closest to you are vulnerable, you want to be there.

"One of the patients, said to me, 'I'm not afraid of death, I'm afraid of going into hospital.

"The greatest gift you can give is an easy passing.

"The first woman who got in touch with us from Scotland, she felt as if she couldn't grieve.

"How could her partner understand that it wasn't that she didn't want to be with her husband, she wasn't allowed to.

"It's not going to be exactly like that for carers but carers should be welcome whenever they are able to care and whenever they are needed."

Stewart Black 58, from Coatbridge, was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 51 and was treated in Monkland's hospital recently after undergoing surgery for advanced diabetes.

He said: ""In most cases our carers are our rock and it's vital they are given respect and support as our journey is their journey in more ways that anyone will ever understand unless they are in our shoes.

"My wife Margaret asked if she could assist me with breakfast and they offered her breakfast too.

"She was allowed into the recovery room after my operation."

Marie Kennedy, 57, a social worker, says that far from dreading going into hospital her late mother Frances, "enjoyed" her time in Wishaw General because of it's support for John's Campaign.

She said: "My mother actually enjoyed her hospital stay. She felt as if she was at home. It kept her routines the same.

"We knew she liked two biscuits with her tea instead of one.

"When we got her home, she slipped back into her own routines naturally."

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde recently announced it is to extend visiting times at all its hospitals from 11am to 8.30pm.