News

06.04.16

New report stresses importance of dementia advisers for patients – Alzheimer’s Society

Every dementia patient should have a specialist adviser, the Alzheimer’s Society told NHE following a new Department of Health survey into the provision of services.

The report found that 91% of CCGs and local authorities surveyed had a dementia adviser service.

Services provided by dementia advisers include signposting to other services, training and advice for carers, and advocacy to help patients get services such as home adaptations.

George McNamara, head of integrated care at the Alzheimer’s Society, which provides 75% of adviser services, told NHE: “What this report shows is that dementia advisers are absolutely vital to help people with dementia to live well with the condition.”

McNamara said that commissioning dementia advisers saves health and social services money in the long run by reducing unnecessary hospital and care home admissions.

As part of its Right to Know campaign, the Alzheimer’s Society is calling for all patients to have access to dementia advisers, as well as for improved diagnosis rates and for all patients to receive a diagnosis within 10 weeks.

McNamara also said it was important to ensure that patients have the same adviser throughout the progression of their illness.

The report also shows that CCGs are spending more on dementia adviser commissioning than local authorities and employing less staff. Adviser services were jointly commissioned in 47% of cases, by 35% of CCGs and 67% of local authorities.

Local authorities and joint commissioners have a higher number of advisers. Local authorities have more than four advisers in 47% of cases, compared to 37% of CCGs, whilst 8% of joint commissioners, who cover a wider area, and just 2% of single commissioners have 10-14 advisers.

McNamara said that joint commissioning was “based around the needs of people with dementia, not around the needs of silos.”

Commissioning was more expensive on average for CCGs, with advisers costing £25,000 or over annually for 86% of CCGs compared to 67% of local authorities.

Areas in the south outside the capital were more likely to have more advisers than areas in the north and London, where 13 out of 16 commissioners had one to four dementia advisers. This could be due to the fact that joint commissioning is more common in the south, and that it was more expensive in London, with nine out of 16 commissioners saying that services cost over £35,000.

The north of England, however, had the highest case load, with an average of 186 patients for every adviser compared to 88 in London.

Last month the government announced it intends to make the UK ‘the best place to live well with dementia’.

Comments

There are no comments. Why not be the first?

Add your comment

national health executive tv

more videos >

latest news

View all News

comment

NHS England dementia director prescribes rugby for mental health and dementia patients

23/09/2019NHS England dementia director prescribes rugby for mental health and dementia patients

Reason to celebrate as NHS says watching rugby can be good for your mental ... more >
Peter Kyle MP: It’s time to say thank you this Public Service Day

21/06/2019Peter Kyle MP: It’s time to say thank you this Public Service Day

Taking time to say thank you is one of the hidden pillars of a society. Bei... more >

editor's comment

26/06/2020Adapting and Innovating

Matt Roberts, National Health Executive Editorial Lead. NHE May/June 2020 Edition We’ve been through so much as a health sector and a society in recent months with coronavirus and nothing can take away from the loss and difficulties that we’ve faced but it vital we also don’t disregard the amazing efforts we’ve witnessed. Staff have gone above and beyond, whole hospitals and trusts have flexed virtually at will to meet demand and pressures and we’ve... read more >

last word

Haseeb Ahmad: ‘We all have a role to play in getting innovations quicker’

Haseeb Ahmad: ‘We all have a role to play in getting innovations quicker’

Haseeb Ahmad, president of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), sits down with National Health Executive as part of our Last Word Q&A series. Would you talk us throu more > more last word articles >

interviews

Matt Hancock says GP recruitment is on the rise to support ‘bedrock of the NHS’

24/10/2019Matt Hancock says GP recruitment is on the rise to support ‘bedrock of the NHS’

Today, speaking at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) annual... more >

the scalpel's daily blog

Covid-19 can signal a new deal with the public on health

28/08/2020Covid-19 can signal a new deal with the public on health

Danny Mortimer, Chief Executive, NHS Employers & Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Confederation The common enemy of coronavirus united the public side by side wi... more >
read more blog posts from 'the scalpel' >

healthcare events

events calendar

back

September 2020

forward
mon tue wed thu fri sat sun
31 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11

featured articles

View all News