NHS Introduces Clearer Thinking on dementia (UK)

NHS introduces clearer thinking on dementia

Cross-party support for England's national dementia strategy is leading to more research, training and 'dementia cafes' for patients and carers

By Gill Hitchcock

Guardian Professional

17 August 2011

A change of government typically creates uncertainty about which of the previous administration's initiatives will be ditched. Fortunately for Labour's 2009 national dementia strategy, it won cross-party support and is still seen as a description of the way to improve the quality of life for the 750,000 people in the UK with dementia, and their carers.

"Having a national strategy has helped to bring people together, recognising that dementia is one of the biggest challenges that we face," says Andrew Chidgey, the head of policy and public affairs at the Alzheimer's Society.

"I think the biggest change from before the strategy is the increase in public and political interest. Dementia is now much more important on the public policy agenda and something that is being taken far more seriously."

For the first time at the last general election, the manifestos of the three main parties included commitments on dementia. Labour pledged better access to psychological therapy, counselling and memory clinics; the Liberal Democrats said they wanted to help the NHS produce savings and use some of this for dementia; and the Conservatives promised to boost research.

The 2011-12 NHS Operating Framework had dementia as one of only two new priority areas, the other being the health of war veterans. NHS organisations are now required to make progress on the national dementia strategy, and primary care trusts to publish local plans for dementia services. "So I think that was a fairly clear signal from the government they were prioritising this work," Chidgey says.

In line with the pre-election pledge, in June the Department of Health (DH) promised £20m over five years to four new National Institute for Health Research (NHIR) biomedical research units. It has committed the Medical Research Council to increase funding for neurodegeneration research by 10%, to £150m over the next four years. The number of dementia research experts will be increased through new academic clinical fellowships. More patients and carers will be involved in research through the NIHR's dementia and neurodegenerative diseases research network.

At a local level, councils and NHS organisations are beginning to commission dementia advisers, who make contact with patients and their carers after diagnoses and remain in touch as long as needed, helping to access information and advice. "We have probably got 70 to 80 dementia advisers in place and those are being evaluated," Chidgey says.

About two-thirds of people with dementia live in the community, and peer support networks are also becoming more common. These include 'dementia cafes', a concept pioneered in the Netherlands to provide informal settings where people with dementia and carers can come together and talk to each other about the issues they face. (See case study on a dementia cafe in Romford.)



Abridged


SOURCE:   The Guardian UK
_____________________________________

Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources