17 steps: the English National Dementia Strategy

1. 17 steps: the English National Dementia Strategy Jill.Manthorpe@kcl.ac.uk interdem 28 may 2009

2. What’s going on in England? • Adult social care workforce strategy (April 2009) • Personalisation • Green paper on long-term care (June 2009) • National Dementia Strategy 2009 • And a recession interdem 28 may 2009

3. National Dementia Strategy MOREx 44 BETTERx22 IMPROVEDx45 interdem 28 may 2009

4. Living well with dementia • Raising awareness - reducing the stigma associated with dementia through a public information campaign, improved training for staff in all settings and good quality information for people with dementia and their carers • Early assessment and diagnosis - a good quality specialist diagnosis made early in the illness, communicated sensitively and followed by intervention and support as needed • Living well with Dementia - improving the quality of care for people with dementia in acute general hospitals, at home and in care homes. interdem 28 may 2009

5. Early interventions • Objective 4 – Enabling easy access to care, support and advice following diagnosis. A dementia adviser to facilitate easy access to appropriate care, support and advice for those diagnosed with dementia and their carers • Objective 5 – Development of structured peer support and learning networks. The establishment and maintenance of such networks will provide direct local peer support for people with dementia and their carers. It will also enable people with dementia and their carers to take an active role in the development and prioritisation of local services. interdem 28 may 2009

6. Sticking plasters? Whose job is this (not)? • A named point of contact for the person with dementia and their carer throughout their journey, so that they are not simply discharged after diagnosis and have to try to re-enter the care system when their needs change • A provider of tailored information, support & signposting to a range of local and national support services, promoting self-help, access to information & peer support • Able to work pro-actively with a significant contact list of up to 200 people with dementia, not providing “hands on” personal care, case management, specialist advice or emotional support or outreach work, as these roles are already carried out by support workers, Admiral nurses, Community Psychiatric Nurses & social workers • Someone with access to and good working relationships across health, social care, community services and the voluntary sector • Referral to follow a diagnosis of dementia, via a variety of sources • Working in a service that is accessible to people from a wide variety of communities and that can meet the needs of people from excluded groups and those who face social isolation. interdem 28 may 2009

7. Early interventions: risks and rewards • Memory assessment service(s) – a new name or a new system? • Dementia Advisors – everyone’s solution for everyone’s problems? • Peer support and learning networks are not as easy as they sound – what model could they follow? • What do you suggest? interdem 28 may 2009

8. Thank you interdem 28 may 2009