Agenda item

Report by Executive Director Children, Adults, Families, Health and Education and Director of Adults’ Services.

The report and appendices update the Committee on the review of the Dementia Framework West Sussex 2014-19.

50.1   The Committee considered a report and presentation by the Executive Director Children, Adults, Families, Health and Education and Director of Adults’ Services (copies appended to the signed minutes) which were introduced by Irene Loft, Senior Commissioning Officer and Julie Whittingham, Mental Health/Dementia Commissioning lead for the Central Sussex and East Surrey Commissioning Alliance who told the Committee: -

·          The Framework covered the complete patient pathway and was reviewed using focus groups

·          Key successes of the Framework included raising awareness of dementia, the importance of a healthy lifestyle, the creation of a dementia zone on the Connect to Support website, an increase in diagnosis rates from 50% to 67% (the national target) and numerous referrals to the Memory Assessment Service (MAS)

·          Ways were being looked at to meet the demand for the MAS

·          Diagnosis waiting times were still too long – up to four months. There is a pilot scheme in Worthing MAS to reduce waiting times.  MAS will be renamed as the Dementia Assessment Service to ensure referrals are from people who are likely to have dementia which will help ensure people do not drop off the waiting list when they learned they were being tested for dementia

·          Dementia Action Alliances had spread across the county supporting people affected by dementia including carers and were mainly run by volunteers with time limited grants – there were also Admiral nurses in the north of the county and East Surrey hospital

·          Dementia training in hospitals had improved

·          There had been a slight increase in referrals from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, but the figure was still low

·          Reaching people in rural areas was difficult

·          The number of people with learning difficulties being diagnosed needed to be looked at as numbers were very low – training was needed for people who provided learning difficulty services to ensure they have the right level of skills to support the person with dementia

·          Better care planning was needed for end of life care that should take place as early as possible in the person’s journey

·          The number of people with dementia was increasing by 16% per year

·          Out of 14,000 people with dementia in West Sussex, 10,000 lived in the coastal area and the number of those with a diagnosis was greater than those without

50.2   Summary of responses to Members’ comments and questions: -

·          Work was taking place to help people identify dementia before referring patients to the MAS – fast-track referrals were possible

·          Consultation on the reconfiguration of dementia wards by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust would look at travel times for carers

·          Health and social care workers were not always sharing information even when permission was given to do so

·          Health was working with proactive care teams and was encouraging the Alzheimer’s Society to do the same

·          A significant number of people were dissatisfied with training, communications and support for families – this would be addressed through the new strategy

·          A lot of information had been put on the Connect to Support website, there had been a Dementia Action week to raise awareness of dementia and efforts were being made to get providers to signpost each others’ services

50.3   Resolved – that the Committee: -

            i.         Welcomes the developments that have been made and emphasises the following: -

a.     The importance of a timely diagnosis

b.     The investment in keeping people healthy as a preventative measure for dementia in light of the reduction in the public health grant and that this be shared with the Health & Wellbeing Board

c.     The importance of real leadership and governance

d.     The need to address levels of dissatisfaction with the service

e.     The importance of linking in with local clubs and associations rather than just parish councils in rural areas

           ii.         Asks that current waiting times are shared with the Committee