Successful initiative to improve dementia diagnosis rates to be rolled out | News and events

A bespoke service which ensures care home residents with suspected dementia receive a timely diagnosis and treatment is being rolled out across Norfolk and Waveney following a successful pilot.

The initiative sees Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System partners Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) and NHS Norfolk and Waveney send specialist practitioners into care homes to assess patients with memory difficulties and cognitive impairment.  

Since the pilot began in September, 109 people in west and south Norfolk have been assessed, with a dementia diagnosis confirmed in 95 cases. Once the patient’s care and treatment needs have been identified, additional support can be put in place to help them and those caring for them.

The initiative has proved so successful that there are plans to roll it out across the rest of Norfolk and Waveney. It has also been showcased on the national stage as an example of best practice.

Kumar Ponnusamy, Dementia Nurse Consultant and Independent Nurse Prescriber with NSFT, said: “We are very proud of this important initiative, which is making a huge difference to the quality of life of this patient group by making sure they can get the support they need.

“Evidence shows that more than 67% of people in care homes have dementia, but many have not been formally diagnosed. A diagnosis opens the door to all sorts of information, advice, support and treatment, and is also incredibly useful for families as it helps them to understand their loved one’s behaviour.

“In addition, it allows care homes to tailor the support they provide to better meet the individual’s needs, as well as informing future care planning.

“The assessment can also help to identify other treatable conditions, such as depression, as well as giving our team the chance to review any medication the patient has been prescribed or signpost them to other services – such as the falls team – where appropriate.

“The feedback we have received from patients and families has all been very positive, while care home staff have welcomed the additional guidance and support which our specialist team is able to provide.

“We also presented the project at an NHS England webinar and have received a lot of interest from trusts across the country who are interested in introducing something similar, which is a testament to the positive impact this work is having.”

Mark Payne, Deputy Head of Mental Health at NHS Norfolk and Waveney, said “Identifying and acting on the early signs of dementia is so important in helping individuals, their carers, and families to understand changing needs, and in getting individuals the care they need.

“The pilot is a great example of the positive benefits that can be achieved when health and care specialists work together to identify and assess residents and bring forward early dementia diagnoses. This has a really positive impact on health and wellbeing outcomes for the individual and their family, as well as the care staff that support them.

“We are looking forward to rolling out this programme across Norfolk and Waveney, and further building community-based approaches. This is an important step to further enhance the partnership approach of our integrated care system and support even more individuals to get the care and treatment they need for dementia at an earlier stage.”