The Sub-Committee will receive an update from officers on the Council’s dementia strategy.
Minutes:
Officers presented details of the proposed dementia strategy 2017 for Havering. Dementia was defined as progressive memory loss compounded by a range of co-morbidities. Beyond the age of 65, the likelihood of developing dementia doubled every five years.
Given the age profile of Havering’s population, it was important to have a local dementia strategy and this would be aligned with Havering’s overarching Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The dementia strategy had been based on a number of principles including listening to dementia suffers and their carers, tackling the stigma associated with dementia and enabling people to make informed choices.
The Havering population aged over 65 was expected to rise by 26% over the next 15 years with the numbers of people agreed over 85 expected to increase by 46% over the same period. Demand for dementia services was also therefore likely to increase.
The current service provision in Havering included memory clinics provided by NELFT and a dementia advisory service provided by Tapestry. Neurology and mental health liaison services were available at BHRUT and GPs were also able to make initial diagnoses of memory problems. Blood tests were conducted as part of an overall assessment of dementia in order to exclude urinary tract infections which could exhibit similar symptoms. A CT scan could also be used to look for changes in the brain that were indicative of dementia.
Officers would confirm the timescales for treatment for dementia following a GP referral although the target period from GP referral to treatment at a memory clinic was 12 weeks. Officers would also confirm what treatments were currently offered at the memory clinics.
There was a need to have more joined up working between health and social care with for example telecare commissioned by the Council to support people with dementia to remain in their own homes where this was possible. Officers agreed that it was important to avoid people with dementia from entering hospital as this was the worst place for their condition.
Support was also sought from the voluntary sector and there was a total of £120,000 available to commission community dementia services in Havering. An example was the Singing for the Brain programme which had led to some service users connecting with each other and had been very beneficial for people with dementia.
Other issues covered by the strategy included early onset dementia, instances of dementia in older people with learning disabilities, end of life care and cultural issues associated with dementia. It was planned to produce a joined up response to dementia with work being undertaken by social care, public health and the health sector. A robust data reporting system would be introduced for dementia services and it was hoped to raise awareness of dementia across the community. The Havering Dementia Action Alliance had been very successful and had worked with businesses to make services and facilities more dementia friendly. An example of this was the Tesco store at Roneo Corner where staff had been trained to assist customers who appeared confused etc. Awareness raising such as dementia friend training had helped with reducing any stigma around the condition and Members felt society was now kinder as regards dementia.
Officers could also supply details of the work the Dementia Action Alliance had undertaken in local schools. Havering CCG was now very active in making GPs aware of dementia and the GP diagnosis rate had now improved for dementia.
The new model was based on eight key elements of support for a person diagnosed with dementia. These included a named dementia practice coordinator for each person diagnosed, support for carers and improvements to a person’s living environment to improve quality of life.
The final strategy had not yet been considered by the Health and Wellbeing Board and final implications of the new model were still being finalised. It was also hoped that all new dementia diagnoses would be recorded at the memory clinic.
The model was founded on an evidence base that that had included attending forums in Havering and researching best practice in dementia services elsewhere. It was noted that the figures assumed no major breakthroughs in new drugs or treatments for dementia.
The Sub-Committee welcomed the proposed strategy.