Follow up from Dementia Protected Learning Time
The Mental Health Protected Learning Time for GPs and Practice Nurses was held on Thursday 16th January and was very well attended. Dementia was part of the agenda and there were roundtable discussions with clinicians from the SLaM memory service, The Alzheimer’s Society and the Lambeth GP Lead for Dementia.
One Page Dementia Information Sheet
A one page information sheet was produced with key links and contact details for dementia services is attached with this GP mailout.
Referring to the Alzheimer’s Society
The Alzheimer’s Society was asked by several GPs how they could refer people to them, and in response to this their referral form is attached with this GP mailout.
Updated EMIS Referral Form to Memory Service
The EMIS form to refer patients with suspected memory problems to the memory service has recently been updated, the new version is attached with this GP mailout, please could you replace this with the one you already have on your EMIS system.
Community Dementia CNS Role
Guy's and St Thomas' are reviewing the services there offer for people with dementia in Lambeth and Southwark. We would appreciate your comments about what you would like from a Community Dementia Clinical Nurse Specialist, and how you would see this role liaising with GPs and other community services. We are also looking for GP practices who would be interesting in piloting the use of the Forget-Me-Not dementia recognition tool in patients' homes. If you have some comments, would like to volunteer, or would like to arrange training in dementia and delirium for practice staff please contact Mala Karasu, Safeguarding Adults Lead, via email: .
Kings tQuest for pathology – Message from Penelope Jarrett, GP Clinical Lead for Dementia:
When you open up the tQuest blood test request form you should see a button at the top right labelled "test groups". If you click on this you will see "Dementia screen". Clicking on this will request the list of tests which are good practice to check when a patient has concerns about their memory. The Southwark and Lambeth Memory Service also ask you to do these tests, to exclude treatable cause of cognitive problems, and QOF demands it under the DEM3 indicator.
I hope this will help to save us all from those annoying occasions when one test is missed off.
I have emailed Guys to see if they are willing to implement a "dementia" group too.
My thanks to Russell Austin and Clive Barnfather at Kings for bringing this to fruition.
Telecare and Assistive Technology
If you feel a patient would benefit from telecare (a pendant alarm linked to a 24/7 response team) and/or assistive technology (equipment such as falls sensors, medication reminders, flood detectors etc.) then call Lambeth Council on 020 7926 5555 and request a Community Care Assessment.