Implementing the National Dementia Strategy
This website is aimed at people working to implement the National Dementia Strategy in the South West of England. It provides information on the work of the South West Dementia Partnership, which brings together organisations from health and social care, the voluntary sector and people using dementia services to drive forward improvements.
We have a multiagency steering group to oversee implementation of the National Strategy. The South West Alzheimer’s Society is ensuring that views of people with dementia and their carers are at the heart of all we do. Our implementation programme is led by:
- David Francis, Policy Implementation Project Manager, Department of Health South West, david.francis@dh.gsi.gov.uk; m – 07909 914710
- Kate Schneider, Programme Lead, Dementia and Mental Health, South West Strategic Health Authority, kate.schneider@southwest.nhs.uk; m – 07973 732766
Bulletin, Issue 2, June 2010
Issue 2, June 2010, provides features on the Dementia Summit 2010 and the regional conference on improving dementia care in general hospitals. We also include updates on regional work to raise awareness, improve dementia care in care homes and develop an informed and effective workforce for people with dementia.
Dementia: An introductory guide for hospital staff
Working with Ambulance Service Trusts we have produced introductory guides about dementia for ambulance clinicians. Working with Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust we have also created an introductory guide for hospital staff.
The regional picture
In the South West there are currently around 73,000 older people with dementia, a number set to rise to over 102,000 by 2021 and increase of 40%. At present only 1 in 3 will get a diagnosis. There are around 1300 younger people with dementia. Two thirds of people with dementia are likely to be living in the community, and one in three will not have the support of a live in carer. Two thirds of older people living in care homes are likely to have dementia. 50% of people over 60 with Downs syndrome are likely to have dementia.
Join our mailing list
Sign up to our electronic mailing list to receive regular updates and bulletins about work to improve dementia care in the region.
Commissioning resources
Access resources to support local commissioning activities, organised by South West Dementia Strategy objectives.
Hospital care conference
Download presentations from the regional conference on improving dementia care in general hospitals, held at Exeter Racecource.
Review findings conference
Access the report and presentations from the regional conference, Living well with dementia the South West way.
Latest news
- Weston dementia awareness day a success
Almost 100 people attended an awareness day to find out more about dementia care in Weston. - Government launches white paper ‘Equity and excellence: liberating the NHS’
Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley yesterday set out the Government’s ambitious plans to reform the NHS during this Parliament and for the long-term. - Dementia sufferers benefit from person-centred public services
A recent Guardian article profiles Nicola Jacobson, a dementia advisor in Sheffield, who asserts that dementia sufferers are benefitting from person-centred public services, co-designed in response to the National Dementia Strategy. - RUH Goes for Gold in caring for Patients with Dementia
A new scheme is being launched by the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust (RUH) to help improve the care of people with dementia during their stay in hospital. - Progress in care for dementia sufferers in Plymouth
Plymouth leads say that progress is being made in improving services for those with dementia and their carers across the Plymouth area. - Thousands of people living with undiagnosed dementia
Richard Lyle, programme director for urgent care and older people at NHS Bristol, said they are doing all they can to find a diagnosis for more than 2,000 undiagnosed cases in the city. - Poll findings highlight the need to raise dementia awareness
A YouGov survey published to mark Dementia Awareness Week finds that almost one third of people in the South West would not know how to get support if they were diagnosed with dementia. - Working Together To Improve Dementia Care – South West Leads The Way
NHS organisations throughout the South West are supporting Dementia Awareness Week (4 to 11 July 2010) as part of an ongoing drive to improve diagnosis and care for the growing numbers of people living with dementia. - South West pensioner population expected to grow by 500,000 in 20 years
According to the Western Morning News, the South West is facing a huge social and economic upheaval as the number of pensioners living in the region is predicted to explode by more than half-a-million in the next 20 years. - Free self-help guide that has benefited thousands to be made available in GP surgeries
A self-help dementia guide which has benefited thousands of people in Devon is to be made available in local GP practices. - Dementia UK hits the West End
This year Dementia UK is the benefiting charity to the Interior Designers pantomime production of Snow White and the Seven Designers. - Admiral Nursing DIRECT extends availability to mark Dementia Awareness Week
To mark Dementia Awareness Week, which takes place from Sunday 4th to Saturday 10th July, Admiral Nursing DIRECT will be extending its availability to reach out to people affected by dementia. - Focus on dementia at Musgrove Park Hospital
Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton has been selected to take part in a project to improve the hospital experience for patients with dementia. - NICE publishes dementia quality standard
This quality standard provides clinicians, managers and service users with a description of what a high-quality dementia service should look like. - Dementia Awareness Week 4-11 July 2010
The theme of Dementia Awareness Week this year, is Remember the person. Throughout the week, the Alzheimer’s Society is encouraging people to look beyond dementia and understand that everyone living with dementia is still an individual. - Living well with dementia bulletin, Issue 2, June 2010
This issue provides features on Partnership events, such as the Dementia Summit 2010 and the regional conference on improving dementia care in general hospitals. There are updates on regional work to raise awareness, improve dementia care in care homes and develop an informed and effective workforce for people with dementia. - Improving the administration of medicines in care homes
All of the Primary Care Trusts across the South West are making significant progress with the safety of local prescribing, dispensing, administration, and monitoring arrangements in the provision of medication to older people in care homes. - Person centred support plan for people with dementia
The person centred support plan aims to enable and support the person living with dementia in a care home to be as self-reliant and in control as they can be. - Developing improved memory assessment services
The South West Dementia Partnership has agreed as a priority the development of improved memory assessment services to enable a year on year increase in the rates of diagnosis of dementia. - Dementia: An introductory guide for care home staff
The purpose of this introductory guide is to give care staff some basic information and to point people in the direction of further advice.
Dementia Awareness Week
Latest presentations
Review
Find out about the South West review of dementia services. Read about what we found and what people have told us.
Access a wealth of useful resources to support service improvement in dementia services: policy, guidance, research reports, toolkits, videos and much more.