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Dementia Intensive Support Team - East (DISTE) in Suffolk

  • DISTE is a specialist dementia service in east Suffolk. The service works with people with dementia (or suspected dementia) and their families in the event of a dementia related crisis, to avoid acute hospital admission. Such a crisis may involve either a recent change in behaviour that is cause for concern, or carers needing more support to manage their caring role to prevent care breakdown. Either situation may otherwise result in an unnecessary hospital admission.

  • Service Manager Lead: Lisa Harding (Clinical Team Lead)
  • Service Contact: Telephone 01473 891 733
  • Address:
    Jackson House,  86 Sandy Lane, Ipswich, IP3 0NA
  • Service hours: This service is available form Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 17:00.

What this service offers

DISTE can offer support to enable a timely discharge from hospital in liaison with other agencies where required. DISTE can also provide signposting, advice and information to enable access to local support services. 

DISTE provide intensive support and advice in relation to:  

  • Dementia – all types,  

  • Suspected dementia,  

  • Delirium on top of dementia.  

Our team aim to respond to all referrals to the service within one working day. This will initially be by telephone or a home visit.  

Visits are arranged for mutually convenient times. Where appropriate DISTE refers individuals on to and work closely with other services and organisations to ensure your needs are met, for example GPs and social workers.  

All face to face contact is through home visits arranged with service users and, or their family and carers.

Access this service

For referrals, advice and signposting telephone DISTE on 01473 891733.  

The team recommends that for referrals from family or carers, the GP is contacted in the first instance. They will establish if there is physical cause for the presenting problem, consider treatment and refer to DISTE, if appropriate.  

Any professionals can refer to DISTE and acute hospitals can also refer to DISTE for support on discharge, if required.  

Our team also work closely with REACT (Reactive Emergency Assessment Community Team). If somebody is under the care of REACT, or referred to them by other professionals, REACT may refer them on to DISTE, if appropriate.   

How this service support carers including friends and family

DISTE offer advice and information on dementia and delirium to carers. They also signpost to other organisations that can help care for someone with a dementia.  

Urgent help

If you need urgent help you should telephone DISTE within working hours or your GP outside of our working hours.  

The Crisis Resolution Team is also available out of hours on 0300 123 2425.

Call 111 and select the mental health option to speak to our 24 hour mental health crisis line.

If you are with someone who has attempted suicide, call 999 and stay with them until the ambulance arrives. 

If anyone is at serious risk of harm, call 999 and ask for the police. 

For non-life threatening medical situations, call NHS111 on 111.  

For more information, see Help in a Crisis. 

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